Rent
by PanicButton
Summary: ReidCentric: ReidFlanders. Continuation from Sanitizer. Reid is with Flanders, whose plans for Spencer's future are not very nice. Rated T for now...might have to go up. Drugs:Prostitution:Self-Harming issues. Swears.
1. Chapter 1

Rent

_Prostitution is criminal, and bad things happen because it's run illegally by dirt-bags who are criminals: - Jesse Ventura_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

Floyd managed to keep Spencer quiet for the next few days. The food made him sleepy, and the drink made him lusty. Floyd Flanders spent the time teaching a crippled whore dog new tricks.

The couple of times someone had called to talk to him Floyd had let him.

"Reid?"

"Aaron?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes – yes – I suppose. Aaron?"

"Reid you don't sound alright to me, what's wrong? You can tell me."

"Just the painkillers you know, they have made me light headed. I am fine. I have to go. Sleepy – so sleepy."

"I need to come and see you."

"Yes – yes sort that out at some point."

That would be the end of the chat and Floyd would take the Reid's hand tightly in his. "Good boy. Well done Spencey babe." A grin. "On your back, I want to have some fun."

…………….

Keeping Spencer drugged was easy. He was already taking stuff for whatever pain he still had in his ear and leg, and those meds were easy to top up with things in his food and drink. By the time he had realised what was going on: that the man he thought he loved more than anything in the world was drugging then raping him, by then it was too late to resist.

He lived for just over a week in drugged haze of wishing Aaron would hurry up and knock on the door, but then really if he did he would see anything wrong? Probably not, but Floyd wasn't going to take the risk. After a week of fielding calls from various members of Reid's old team he made a decision.

Reid was sleeping when Floyd walked into the room he had been sharing with him and jumped up on the bed next to him. "Sweetness. Wake up love." Floyd's voice sounded happy but his face looked pissed off. "Spence for christ's sake you've been sleeping all freaking day. Wake up we need to go."

Spencer slowly opened his eyes to look over at Floyd laying on the bed next to him smiling. "Go where. I don't want to go anywhere. I am too tired."

Buttons popping open and a finger playing over Spencer's chest. "I know you are tired Spence. Time to move on though. We can't stay here. Clientele are completely wrong for whoring. Come on I'll help you get dressed."

Spencer put a hand over the one belonging to Floyd. "Don't stop. I'm not whoring for you Floyd. Can't we just spend some time the two of us? Having fun?" A deep sigh.

Running fingers around Spencer's nipples. "This is fun. You are enjoying it. I am pleased, but babes it won't bring in any money. I need to get money in. We are moving across town. It's safer. No Aaron to disturb us."

"Floyd no, I will tell Aaron to stop calling. Please I don't want to move. I like it here." Moving his fingers over now to open Floyd's shirt buttons.

"Sorry Spence." He sat up pushing hands away from him. "No time now. I have packed some things to take. I'm not telling you to give up your place here. Just move in someplace else for a short while. You might enjoy it."

Spencer sighed and reached out for a water bottle. Floyd watched him chug back a good few mouthfuls and the replace the bottle. "I won't enjoy it."

"You don't know that." He watched Spencer's eyes start to get heavy again. He was going to have to carry him down to the car. That was fine, that way he wouldn't remember where he was being taken. All the better really. Floyd watched Spencer fall back onto the mountain of pillows, his breathing heavy and steady. He walked closer and bent down kissing the sleeping man on his lips. "My sleeping beauty. I wish things could be different." He sighed and left the room leaving the door ajar. It was just a quick sprint down to the car he was sure Spence couldn't get himself into trouble in that short space of time. Second thoughts saw Flanders turn around and close then lock the door Spence was behind. "Just in case."

……………………

When Reid awoke he was feeling strange and disorientated. He opened his eyes to see what was going on and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. Very unfamiliar. It was covered in mirrors. He just lay and looked at his reflection for a short while and then looked around the room.

Dark drapes at the window. Metal headboard, plain white walls with exotic (he supposed) pictures. He put his hands on the bedcovers to find they were made of some kind of velvet. This wasn't his room, and there was no way in hell he was going to ever feel comfortable here. It was like some whores boudoir and now he was shouting for Floyd and trying to get up off the bed. His crutches were no where to be seen and there was no way he would be able to get to the door the other side of the room without them.

"Floyd!" He called again. What he was going to say to the man who seemed to have complete control over him whether he liked it or not he wasn't sure about yet, but he needed him here now.

The door swung open and Reid couldn't help but take a small gasp. Floyd dressed in his low black jeans and a loose almost gypsy style shirt in a crisp white stood leaning on the door jam grinning. "Hey sleepy head." And Flanders was walking towards him. "You need anything?" Sitting on the side of the bed his hands drifting gently over Reid's shirt – the buttons coming undone revealing the white flesh underneath. "Hhhmm"– and his tongue was working its way down to Reid's waistband. Floyd felt Spencer's fingers wind their way through his hair.

"Floyd please not now." A big sigh and a sharp in take of breath. "I need to talk."

"I'm not stopping you." Floyd stopped what he was doing and looked up at Spencer's face. "What's wrong?"

"Everything – you know. Where am I for a start? Where are my crutches? You can't keep me locked up in here, wherever it is. Floyd…" A finger on his lip.

"Hush – OK. I brought you here because business will be better. You don't need your crutches – I need you there not wandering around. I can keep you locked up Babes, and I can sell you and I will. It's going to be fun! Why do you always have to spoil things when they get to be fun?" Hands wandering their way over Reid's stomach again.

Reid tried to wriggle down the bed to get more comfortable. "Your idea of fun always comes at the expense of someone else's pain. I won't do it."

Floyd stood up and looked down at his captive. "You will do it. Even if I have to drug you and beat you senseless my love, you will do it. People around here won't care if you are unconscious. They will just want a bit of your sweet arse." He kissed his fingers and planted them on Reid's nose. "You are mine. You chose me. No going back now babes."

Reid reached out and grabbed hold of Floyd's hand. "Enough Floyd, I want to either be told where I am or be taken home again. This isn't funny."

He looked down at entwined fingers. He really didn't get it did he? How could someone so clever - almost as clever as himself – how can this person be so naïve?

………………..

Aaron was getting frustrated. He was naturally worried about what Spencer had decided to do. Floyd couldn't be trusted and he knew that only too well. There was no way in hell he was going to let Floyd get away with abusing Spencer the way he had before. He couldn't understand what the attraction was for Spencer. The man was manipulative and dangerous. He was into drugs and definitely murdered without conscience. They just hadn't been able to pin anything on him yet. They will. Until then Aaron needed to keep a watchful eye on the man he loved. On Spencer. He was sure eventually he would come round and realise what was going on. He just hoped it wouldn't be too late. For both of them.

He sat looking at the receiver in his hand. No answer again. Not from his cell or the house phone. Time to go and investigate. He glanced up through the open blinds down to the bull pen. Everyone working hard except Morgan who was staring off into space somewhere. Hotch clicked the button on his phone to get a ring tone and pressed a number. He watched Morgan jump at the sound on his desk and then pick up the phone.

"My office please Morgan." He watched Derek push his chair back from his desk and replace the receiver on its cradle then walk up towards his door.

Morgan walked in and closed the door behind him. "Are you as worried about this Reid business as I am?" He enquired before Hotch could say anything.

A nod. "I think we need to go and check things over. I just don't want Reid to think I am pushing him. I'm not meaning to do that, but the idea that he actually wants to be with that man confuses me. I can't reason it. I have tried for Spencer's sake. I want him to be right, but he isn't answering his cell, and the house phone goes to answer phone. I am concerned Morgan. He is still one of my agents until they tell me he isn't, and until then I need to be fighting his side. I feel I have let him down, but as his boss I now think I will go and retrieve him by force if necessary."

Morgan nodded. "I'm ready when you are." And cracked his knuckles. "I don't know what happened between the two of you Hotch but something did I am ready to pound that son of a bitches face into mulch if I need to. This has gone beyond not wanting to hurt Reid's feelings. I don't think he knows what he is doing anymore. The man has confused him so much."

Hotch pulled his jacket from the back of his office chair and pulled it on. "If he has hurt Reid, so help me god…."

Morgan nodded. "God's gonna be busy if he has hurt Reid."

…………………

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**A/N: Not sure where this is going. Let me know if there is a point in continuing :c) tinnyxoxox**


	2. Chapter 2 Babylon

Babylon

_Emmett__: - Why do I always give my heart away to trash?_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

The next thing Floyd had to do was advertise the goods and the best way to do that was to get the goods out there and seen. He needed to tease the public with the new arrival and he had a wonderful I idea how to do this. All he needed to do now was convince Spence that all was good.

He opened the bedroom door and looked at Reid laying looking up at his reflection. "Babes, fancy a change of scene? Thought we could go out for the night. How you feeling?"

Spencer looked over at Floyd standing smiling in the doorway. "Out? I can hardly walk. Where were you thinking of?"

He came and sat on the bed next to Spence and ran his fingers through Reid's hair. "Just out you know. Nothing illegal I promise. A drink and some music. I'll get you something to wear and help you with that knee."

Reid pushed himself up on one elbow. "I don't think I will enjoy whatever it is you have planned. I am too tired, and these meds are making my head foggy. Please can we leave it?"

'_Keep calm Floyd. He just needs persuading.'_

"Trust me Spence. You will enjoy it. Let me find you something to wear ok?"

"You always dress me as a clown Floyd. Let me just wear what I am comfortable in. Please." Reid was pushing his way down to the foot of the bed.

"Fine – fine have it your way, cords and short sleeved shirt?" He turned and smiled at Spencer. Really he liked the way Spence dressed, so taking him out dressed like it was quite a pleasure.

"I really could do with a shower first." Looking nervously at Floyd. "If you would help?"

……………

That evening saw them standing outside a nightclub.

"No Floyd, I can't go in there." Reid looked horrified.

"Why on earth not? You will love it. Just follow me." Floyd took a few steps forward then turned to see Spencer hadn't moved.

"A few reasons why not." Reid was frowning. "I have this thing with my ear. It hurts! The noise in there will probably cause it to start bleeding again. Secondly I am on crutches. I won't make it across the floor without – I don't know –without falling over I suppose!"

Flanders grinned and pulled something out of his pocket, a small leather wallet with a zip along the top. He undid the zip and pulled out a small off white tablet. "Take this – it will take the edge off the pain."

"No! I'm not taking one of your home made things. I'm not going in there Floyd. That's the end of it. Take me home again please."

A hand on his shoulder and lips to his ear. "Spence – for me, please. I need to relax. Let me show you this side of me." The pill put to Reid's lips "Take the fucking pill and stop moaning."

Reid took the small pill between his fingers. "I will have to manage without; I'm not taking this on top of what I am already. These painkillers already make me feel fuzzy headed." He handed the small pill back to Floyd.

"Keep it for now. You might change your mind. In the meantime I will walk behind you. You go first. It's ok Spence. You will have fun."

Reid stood and sighed slipping the pill into his pocket as Floyd went to stand behind him. A hand on each hip and a voice in his ear. "Go Babes."

They walked as a couple towards the doors through the crowds of mostly very obviously not entirely straight men. Floyd was definitely getting his share of looks. Reid's mind so deeply set of trying not to fall over didn't notice the looks the two of them got, nor obviously as Floyd was behind him, he didn't see the looks Floyd was returning. _'Mine. Keep your hands off.'_

Floyd ran his tongue over the back of Spencer's neck and they slowly made their way to the main entrance of the club. No money seemed to exchange hands but Reid once again had a look of deep concentration on his face. "Steps Floyd. I don't know if I can get down them." Hoping it was an excuse to go home and get out of this terrible noise. The music was pounding so hard that Spencer really did think it was going to cause irreparable damage to his ear.

The words. "Hold on Babes I will carry you." Were not what he wanted to hear, but it's what he got. Floyd wrapped his arms tightly around Reid's waist and lifted him far enough off the floor to be able to carry him down the few steps to the clubs main floor. Spencer's instincts where to turn around and crawl back out again. This was not his ideal place to be. This was one of the last places on earth he would want to be actually. For Floyd he would try and cope and not be the complete bore he was sure Floyd was expecting.

……………………..

Aaron and Derek hammered on the door for a good ten minutes before deciding that either something had happened or Reid wasn't in.

"He's on crutches, where would he go?" Morgan was staring at the door. "I could just kick it in."

Hotch stood back and sighed. He pulled out a gun. He wasn't going to be jumped by Flanders again. "Just be careful."

And with a crack and a heavy foot Morgan had popped Reid's door open. The hallway beyond stood in darkness. Carefully they entered the small apartment ready and expecting Floyd to jump out and try to kill someone, but the place stood in silence. There was no milk in the fridge, but there was a small pile of letters on the doormat. Hotch bent down and picked them up.

"He's not here? Where the hell is he?" He looked over the postmarks. "He hasn't picked up mail in a day or so."

"Son of a bitch! Where has he taken him?" Morgan was looking around for something to hit and take his frustration out on as Hotch flipped open his phone and speed dialled Reid's cell.

………………………

Reid handed Floyd one of his crutches and stood leaning on the wall. The music was pounding and Floyd was standing in front of Spencer almost nose to nose.

After a bit of rummaging Reid produced a vibrating cell phone which was taken from his hands before he could answer it and slipped into Floyd's pocket. He leaned forwards and shouted in Spencer's ear. "No phones Spence. Just us." Then a tongue over the ear and nibbling and sucking on the exposed flesh around Reid's jaw-line, swaying gently side to side to the rhythm of the loud clubbing music, pressing his body against Spencer's.

One of Reid's hands stayed holding the crutch the other found the small of Floyd's back and after a quick pull he had made room for his hand to slide up under Floyds black shirt.

Flanders was being watched. He would bring boys in here often to show them off before either using them and deserting them, or letting money pass hands for some quick fun. This seemed different. This looked like something he was enjoying, and this very act peeked their curiosity. Flanders with someone who he was showing affection to, and it was reciprocated. Definitely something to keep an eye on. A weapon to use against the man who trod over everyone and took what he wanted, but Floyd was so engrossed in what Spencer was now doing with his hand that all sense was gone.

…………………

"It went to voicemail." Hotch stood and looked at his cell phone and then around Reid's abandoned apartment. "Where the hell is he?"

"It's late. Try again in the morning. I will see if Garcia can trace it. If he is using it.." Morgan went into Reid's bedroom and pulled open the wardrobe door.

There wasn't a lot else they could do here. Reid was gone, and there was no sign of where he had been taken. Neither man could imagine Reid in his broken condition would want to leave the comfort of his apartment. Leave his books and belongings. It just didn't seem like a Spencer thing to do and if he had Hotch was sure he would have contacted him. Whatever was going on they were a big step behind and needed to catch up quickly.

…………………

The men's room light flickered.

Spencer let out a groan of delight as he twisted his fingers around Floyd's hair.

Head tipped back, all thoughts of the pain he was in were gone.

…………………

* * *


	3. Chapter 3 Pimp

Pimp

_You think you're a man  
but you're only a boy  
You think you're a man  
you are only a toy.  
you think you're a man  
but you just couldn't see  
You were not man enough to satisfy me._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

"Hurry up and get ready." Floyd half dragged a slightly drunk and drugged Spencer to the bed.

"F for – what? What for?" Spencer lay on his back staring at his reflection again.

"I'm taking this bloody thing off your leg for now. I'll put it back afterwards." Flanders started to undo the contraption holding Spencer's knee in place.

Reid tried to sit up, but one hand on his chest pushed him back into the pillows. "Don't – f f Floyd no."

"Hush Babes, it's going to be alright." He passed over the bottle of water. "Have some water."

Spencer took the water bottle and watched Floyd begin to remove his leg brace again. "Get ready for what?" His throat was dry and so the water felt wonderful sliding down the back of his throat.

"Guests – don't worry. I will stay with you." Floyd took the water from the hand of a now very drugged looking Spencer. He bent forwards and kissed him gently on the nose. "It's all going to be good."

The only reply he got was a soft moan.

………………..

With the lights softened and Spence not able to resist the scene was set. Larry as he liked to be known paid up front for the pleasure of abusing the gimp. Floyd sat back and watched. First sign of anything wrong and Larry would be dead – a fact Larry was probably very aware of.

"I want him gagged."

Floyd sighed and got up. "He wont be too noisy – but if you insist." He handed over a ball gag which made Larry smile and nod a thank you. Floyd sat back down and watched carefully.

Spencer felt unknown hands on him. He felt someone turn him over onto his front and shortly after he felt a gag being forced into his mouth. He wanted to see where Floyd was to stop this, but his vision was too blurred now, and his hearing dulled – all he could sense now was the thing rammed in his mouth and someone behind him – kneeling – pulling him up by his hips.

Floyd watched. He could see the puzzled look pass over Reid's face, then the fear and then something else – not so comforting for Flanders. On one hand he wanted to stop this now and break Larry's neck for even looking at Spence, on the other hand he was enjoying watching. He liked watching. He liked people watching, watching people – watching his Spence. He watched Spencer's hands reach out and grasp the pillows, he watched as his back arched and the sweat dripped from his forehead. He looked at the white knuckles and at the toes curling. He watched Larry moving his hand and he watched Spencer try to cry out in response to it. _'Dirty bastard. He's not meant to enjoy it'_

When Larry finally pulled away and let Spencer go Floyd thought he was going to explode with anger. Not at Larry, but at Spence. He knew he would be good at whoring, but he had no idea he would be that good. Enjoying it. Shit. No – he wasn't meant to enjoy it.

He slammed the door behind Larry and locked it. Then walked slowly back to where Spence was feebly trying to get the gag off.

Floyd pulled Spencer over so he was on his back. He checked out the knee which looked bloody painful then looked up at Spencer's face and the hands searching for a way to get the gag off. "Leave it Spence. I want you now – and I want you with that in still. Looked like you enjoyed Larry." Soft kisses on Spencer's stomach. "Will you enjoy me as much?" No reply – no response. "Spence? Are you asleep?"

He reached up and took the gag from Reid's mouth. A soft moan and hands reaching down to touch. Floyd moved his fingers to entwine between Reid's. "Hun – I don't feel too good. I need to sleep."

"Sleep? Fucking ungrateful bastard. You know how much money I just got for you? Well I think I will keep it for me. Fuck you – fuck your knee and fuck everything. I'm going out to get it somewhere else if you are only willing to give it to paying customers. To hell with you Spence. I do all this and you just want to sleep?"

"Floyd? Hun – what?" Spencer tried to push himself up on his elbows but everything was too much effort and he just flopped back again.

"Just shut your mouth. Whore." Floyd left the room. Reid could hear the crockery being smashed in the kitchen as the bedroom slowly span and he tried to work out what was going on.

The first he knew Floyd was back in the bedroom was the fist in the mouth. Then the words. "Wake up!" and then the hands. "I'm taking you out." Dragging him from the bed.

"Wait – you need to help me put the brace back on." Spencer tried to hide the tears of pain behind scrabbling back onto the bed and wiping the wetness off his face on the covers. He could taste blood in his mouth where his lip was split and the pain in his leg was unbelievable, but hands were pulling him to stand. He needed to keep Floyd calm. He didn't know what he had done to rile him so much.

He dragged Reid from the bed again throwing the brace at him. "Do it yourself. I'm not your slave." Spencer looked up with big eyes not knowing what he had done to offend Floyd so much and now loath to ask what it was. It seemed like too late to ask now. With a dizzy head he tried to get the brace back on his leg.

"Please Floyd, I don't feel right. Did you drug me again? I can't do this."

Fingers now pulling his hair to make him stand. "Then go without. Move. If you don't want me I will find someone you do want. You can't get on your knees with that crap around it anyway." His crutches thrust into his hands now. "Move yourself."

"I'm only half dressed. I need a shirt." Reid was trying to make his way back to the wardrobe. "I can't go out dressed in just my sweat-bottoms."

A hand pressing on the small of his back guiding him out of the room. "Get out. They won't be worried what ya wearing. The less the better. Move your bloody self."

As Spencer's head began to clear the words began to become clear. "Floyd. No. I won't do this."

"Shut your whore's mouth. You already have."

Reid stopped and tried to turn back to look at Floyd again. "What?"

"And you enjoyed it. Fucked a stranger for cash and enjoyed it. Come on Spence – earn me some more." smirking.

Standing face to face now Reid slapped Floyd around the face.

The two of them stood and looked at each other. Reid knew what was coming. He knew that was probably a big mistake, but he had to show Floyd he wasn't having this.

The hands wrapped around his throat the thumbs pressing as he lifted him off the ground. Spencer put one hand on Floyd's face trying to push him away and the other tried to get the hands off his throat.

"You son of a bitch!" Walking with him so Reid's back was against the wall. "How dare you raise a hand against me." slamming him back so his head cracked on the wall. "Who the hell do you think you are? You are nothing. Do you understand me? You are only alive because I came running and helped you out. You are filth. A bitch and nothing more. Can you hear me? Get your bloody stinking hand off my face. You smell of that shit you just shagged. You are a dirty whore."

Reid felt his hands dropping to his sides as the air supply was blocked. The darkness creeping in around the edges. He had no idea what Floyd was talking about and in his drugged haze he felt Floyds forehead meet his mouth and his head smacked back into the wall again just before Floyd finally let go.

Flanders stood and watched Reid crumple to the floor. It crossed his mind that Reid wouldn't fetch him much money covered in bruises but sometimes kicking the shit out of Spencer was more important than a few hundred dollars. He tried to avoid his face, because you know even in this red rage Floyd could see that was a nice face, so he tried to avoid it. He concentrated on the groin and stomach. Then he stood back and watched Spencer cough and vomit onto the wood flooring. He saw Spencer's ear was bleeding, and he could see blood trickling from his nose.

Floyd locked and double locked the door. He turned the key and put it in this back pocket then stepped over the still bleeding form on the floor and walked to the bedroom. He lay back on the bed and pulled out a small twist of cellophane with some greenish grey powder inside.

As he drifted off into this own drug induced state of nothingness he could hear coughing and crying. _'He'll learn. One day.'_

………………….

* * *


	4. Chapter 4 Return to Babylon

Return to Babylon

_Brian__:- It's not lying if they make you lie. If the only truth they can accept is their own._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

He was looking at the wall. Curled up on his side laying in his own vomit, his breathing irregular and sobbing. His ears ringing and his eyes twitching side to side. Spencer curled his toes up in some last resort to protect himself from the onslaught which had finished some hours ago now. He could feel his hands shaking and as he tried to move – keeping his eyes closed – all he managed to do was throw up again, so he curled up tighter and tried to protect the small amount of dignity he still had.

Floyd lay on the bed on his side swearing and letting the blood drip steadily from his nose onto the hardwood floor next to the bed. He needed something to hold against his face to try to stop the continual flow. The _'splat splat'_ sound was beginning to make his stomach turn. It was like Chinese torture with his own blood. Slowly and carefully he moved his feet off the bed and onto the floor avoiding his bodily fluids. Holding onto firstly the bed and then to the wall he made a slow dizzy headed journey out to find the bathroom. He stood for a second and looked down at Spencer and frowned trying to remember what had happened.

As his own blood fell to join Spencer's he moved on towards the bathroom. There was nothing he could do here until he had sorted out his own head.

About half an hour later he returned and knelt on the floor next to Spencer. "Spence? You ok?"

Nothing in return. Floyd looked at the blood which had bubbled out of his ear and the way his hair was stuck to the sweat on his face. He looked at how he had both legs curled up. That must hurt. Where was his brace? Why was everything so foggy? These damned drugs – he was going to have to change the mix again. Too strong. They were going to kill him. A hand on Reid's shoulder. "Babes?" and he turned him over onto his back to get a better look. Could be worse. Floyd sighed. Split lip, black eye, bloodied nose, and nasty finger marks around his throat. He stank of sweat and other liquids he had oozed and leaked when he was laying there unable to move. Vomit stuck to his hair. "You stink, I'm gonna get you to the shower."

Spencer could vaguely feel someone picking him up off the floor. He wanted to open his eyes to see who it was; he wanted it to be Aaron. He wanted to be saved from this mistake he had made, but he knew that voice. Though he couldn't understand the words, he recognised that accent.

The water was hot. Maybe too hot, but in Floyd's fuddled mind it needed to be hot, he could hear Reid moaning as the water hit his skin. Floyd pulled the dirty clothes off him and left him curled up on the floor of the shower for a few minutes. Washing wasn't one of Floyd's favourite pastimes and he would avoid it, but he liked his Spence to be clean. After a while he rubbed shampoo into Reid's hair and soap over his body trying not to get too wet himself. "Wake up a bit Spence."

He turned off the water and wrapped Reid in a towel. He carried him back to the bed room and dumped him down on the bed. "Sort yourself out." He pushed Spencer's hair off his face. "You know I wouldn't hurt your on purpose. Just sometimes Spence…."

Floyd got up and stood watching. Reid wasn't moving. Just laying how he had been dumped down. He sat back down on the bed and put a hand on Spencer's cheek pulling his face around to look at him. "Open your eyes Spence." No response. "You want me to leave you alone?" Still nothing. "Hell babes you would think this was my fault."

Spencer could hear the voice but was having a problem responding to it. He wanted to open his eyes but it was proving difficult. He wanted to put a hand out and touch Floyd but he didn't seem able to do that either. Hands – gentle hands moving over him. Feeling where he hurt. Looking at the injuries. A sharp intake of breath and for a few minutes it seemed he had been abandoned again. Left in this agony, but then hands holding him; Arms tightly around him.

"Drink this babes." A straw was slipped gently between his lips. "Drink up Spence. It will make you feel better." Spencer slowly sucked up some of the liquid into his mouth. Nothing could make him feel worse than he did right now so it would either help or kill him. Either way Reid didn't really care right now.

Swallowing hurt where tight spiteful hands had gripped too tightly. The effort to swallow made his eyes water. Once the liquid had gone he felt the arms leave him.

Floyd paced the small apartment he was renting. This isn't what he planned. Spence was just too delicate. He needed him awake and able to walk by tonight. His intention now to take money from people at Babylon. He would get more then enough. A pretty cripple like Spence.

………………

He had one arm over Floyd's shoulder, and in the other hand a crutch but they were on their way to the club again whether Reid wanted to or not.

The outfits: low-cut black jeans with a loose fitting black shirt and his ever present dusty black cowboy boots. He had rings on his fingers and a smile on his face. A real smile. Spencer was in black jeans with a black T-shirt and somewhere Floyd had managed to get hold of some heavy duty boots to fit. His hair had dried fluffy and his skin was beautiful and white. His eyes wide and vulnerable looking especially as one was half closed, but that was fine. Some people liked them looking like that. Sickly and weak.

…………………

She stood with her friends. A night out. The weekend work free. Wonderful! Time to let her hair down and enjoy. Music pounding in her ears and dressed in combat pants and a tiny vest top her long glossy black hair fell free around her athletic shoulders – she stood with her girl friends and watched the scene below them holding a cocktail of some kind in her hand. A hand from the woman she stood with rested its self on her tight behind and she turned to brush lips with the lovely blond she was with. Tongues quickly licked lips before she turned to watch the throbbing crowd below again.

She looked at the top of the head and something inside her made her stomach turn over. That was a familiar head. She would know that fluffy hair anywhere. She tipped the drink back quickly and leaned further over the balcony to get a better look at what was going on. That was definitely Reid, and he was definitely with Flanders. She could see he was clutching hold of Flanders around the neck and holding a crutch in the other. She couldn't see his face from where she was.

Emily pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at it. "Shit." Her friend looked at her puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Her friend asked, but Prentiss was already walking away.

"Later, sweetheart. I will catch you later." She called back over her shoulder and was gone running down the stairs to try to get a better look at Reid. She had to be sure, and to be sure she had to see his face.

Reid was standing next to the entrance to the back room leaning on the wall sipping on a drink. Flanders was talking to someone standing next to them. Money exchanged hands. And Reid's eyes went big. Floyd took the drink from his hands. "Just do what he wants. I will be watching."

Spencer's mind was getting foggy again as the new arrival pulled him limping through the door way. Floyd was about ten paces behind. Prentiss about ten behind him. She watched as the person she suspected was Reid was led off into the back room. The place was too busy – too many people in the way for her to get a definite ID on him.

Spencer was forced down to his knees. The leg brace now gone was not in the way. He looked up at the blond, tattoo covered man Floyd had sent him off with and through a fuzzy mind knew what he was meant to be doing.

She stood back in the crowds and waited. She wasn't going to call this in until she was one hundred percent sure it was him. She watched Flanders and she watched the door. Money was exchanging hands, but it could have been for anything. Drugs, drinks, money owned, she didn't know. All she felt she could do now was stand and wait. It was about two hours before she saw who she had suspected was Reid, and now she was now sure it was him. She noted the bruising around his eye, and the swollen lip.

………………..

That night Spencer earned Floyd a few hundred dollars. It was just after 1am when they started to make a move towards the exit. Floyd holding Reid's hand tightly – leaving early. Flanders could see Spence was looking ill again and he wanted him home and rested for the following evening. He kissed him gently on his swollen lips and smiled happily at his little rent boy.

……………..

Prentiss followed them out of the building and with a sigh – oh god why did Reid have to be _here?_- she dialled Hotch.

……………..

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	5. Chapter 5 Loves and Losses

Loves and Losses

_Justin__:- We're going to Babylon. You wanna come?_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

The crowd was still thick outside- thronging with people ready to party still. Reid and Floyd had to push their ways through. Spencer to be honest felt sick. He just wanted to get home and have a coffee and try to make sense of what he had done. And enjoyed?

Suddenly the crowd thickened. Spencer stopped walking – the way barred. Floyd's hand tightened in his for a second then he released it. "Spence – get out of here." Pushing him sideways, but all he managed to do was make Reid lose his balance and nearly fall. He was grabbed by a couple of blokes standing smiling. Reid watched as they took his crutch and held him with tight hands around his arms.

Floyd was about to take a step forwards when hands grabbed hold of him. "Thanks for the toy creep. Now go on home while we have fun with the cripple."

Reid felt himself being pulled back into the crowd and lifted off the ground – carried back into the crowd. He tried to call for help but hands clamped down over his face as he writhed and fought until the smack in the jaw sent him into darkness.

Flanders tried to pull away from the hands holding him. He cursed at them and he threatened them, but it was empty threats as he was pulled to the ground and stomped. They kicked him in the head and stamped on his face. They stomped down on his hands and the crowd took it in turns to kick his head and body. Then as the blue lights began to flash in the background the crowd dispersed.

……………..

They walked through the thinning crowds. Somewhere out here was Spencer and Floyd, and they weren't going until one or the other had been located. It was Morgan who spotted the crumpled form in the gutter. He just stood for the shortest of whiles looking before making a move forward.

"Hey guys! Over here." It was Flanders laying in a puddle of blood oozing slowly from his face.

Morgan crouched down and felt cautiously for a pulse. He looked up and nodded but was now looking around for a sign of Reid.

Aaron crouched down next to Derek as they turned him over onto his back. "Medics!" Hotch's voice carried over the street to where there was an awaiting ambulance. This was not the passenger they had been expecting to be taking back with them though. With the way pathed now with cops and agents the clubbers left to either return to the club or to go for the local bars. There was no sign that Reid had ever been here. The only thing which made them sure he had been was this very battered looking Flanders and now Prentiss calling them over to where she was standing looking down at what was Reid's crutch just laying in the street.

"Christ. Now where is he?" Hotch looked over at the running medics. "Get this man to hospital. I want him under armed guard. He is to go nowhere until I have spoken to him." He was now standing with Derek surveying the scene. "Someone took Reid before we could get here. More than one person. He has more than one boot print on his face. Only thing is Flanders tried to stop it. I am still working out if this is good or bad for Reid. I don't like it that he wasn't walking. If he was he would be on both crutches and that wouldn't be laying there."

Hotch looked down once more at Floyd. "How's he doing?" he asked a paramedic.

"This isn't good sir. We will know more when he is at the hospital. Head injuries mainly."

"Vicious bastards who did that." Morgan joined – feeling almost but not quite sorry for the man laying in the gutter.

The rest of the cops spread out in their search for any signs of Reid. A blood trail, anything, but as the oppressive air got thicker and heavier and the rain started to fall in monstrous sheets there would be small hope in finding a blood trail. Floyd was loaded into the back of an ambulance and with the lights flashing and the siren moaning it rushed him to the nearest medical facility.

………………..

He awoke somewhere. He wasn't sure where it was. He wasn't sure who he was. For now all he felt he could do was to pull his clothes back on and then curl up and hide. He realised that he couldn't stand, so a crawl took him to behind a dumpster, dark but not so dark he couldn't see. He was in pain and he thought he was bleeding but for now he needed to just sleep and try to forget, or maybe try to remember.

………………..

"So," Morgan was standing in the rain in his tight fitting short sleeved top, combats and boots – tattoos out on display. "Emily what the hell are you doing here?"

A small crowd of effete looking blokes were standing the other side of some crime scene tape watching the dark skinned agent.

"I was out with friends. I saw Flanders in the crowd. I was almost sure it was Reid he was with, but didn't want to call it in until I knew for sure." Looking at her fingernails. "He was a while in the backroom. Morgan, it didn't look like he was being coerced."

"What do you mean?"

Emily sighed and looked at her feet. "Flanders was taking money. Reid was providing the entertainment."

"Prentiss I really hope you are not saying what it sounds like you are, because you are implying that an FBI agent has been profiting from – from – no sorry Emily – not Reid." Morgan started to walk away. He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Derek. I can only report what I saw. That is what I saw. Reid was at ease and looked compliant."

Morgan turned to look at Prentiss again. "Why didn't you stop him?"

Now her finger was jabbing at Morgan's chest. "Even you would have had a hard time getting that pretty boy away from the crowd he was with. That's not the problem now. Now we need to find him and find who did that to Flanders."

They stood in the rain. Emily's hair was hanging limp around her shoulders. The rain was sliding off Derek's head and shoulders. Hotch was talking to the team who had been doing a quick search, but short of finding about fifty condoms, and various other items of 'lost' clothing there was no sign of Reid. All of them wet to the skin in the torrential down pour. Derek looked over at the guys still standing the other side of the tape and started to walk over there.

It brought a smile to their faces if not to Morgan's.

"Did you see what happened?" To the point no introductions.

A raised eyebrow. "Couldn't really miss it. Someone getting a stomping like that. Not that he didn't deserve something, but that was crazy."

"There were two of them."

Hands on hips. "There was one getting a kicking. I was watching him. If there was someone else I didn't see."

"On crutches."

"Oh my GOD! You are looking for the little gimp? Oh sweetie, they took him."

"Took him? Who took him?" At last something, maybe.

Running his hands through his hair the man in red vinyl smiled at Morgan. "Well 'they' took him. You know how it is."

He shook his head. "No I don't 'know how it is'. Explain." Blinking the rain out of his eyes.

"That creep had been flaunting him all night. Taking cash and other stuff in trade for a bit of him." A guy in leather chaps joined in the chat. A nod. "Some people don't like paying. They just take. You have to be careful. Floyd wasn't careful enough and that boy was just ignorant – fun though and clean." A big smile. "I paid cash, but then had to tell him what to do. No matter. Worth every penny."

Morgan noticed that Hotch had joined him. Note pad and pen out. "I need names of these people."

Aaron could feel four sets of eyes giving him the once over.

Red vinyl spoke. "I don't know names – not real names. Just street stuff. Really if you are looking for the lad then you will have a problem. They will have used him up and thrown him out. Spoiled him – you know – so Floyd can't use him again. Dirtied him."

Aaron felt something evil crawl down his spine. "I still need those names and any idea what they would have done with him."

Chaps shook his head. "What wouldn't they have done with him!" a snort of laughter. "Or do you mean where they would have dumped him afterwards?"

A nod from Aaron. This was not the news he wanted to hear.

Vinyl smiled. "It could be anywhere. Man, you need to forget that one and if he turned up on the scene again he would be turned away. Not worth the risk."

……………………..

* * *


	6. Chapter 6 Sexy Boy

Sexy Boy

_Could it be that wisdom appears on earth as a raven, drawn by the faint smell of carrion?: _- _Friedrich Nietzsche_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

They stood outside the hospital room itching to get in and talk to Flanders. The doctors had told them he wasn't going to die anytime soon, and how he was awake they didn't know, but he was.

Morgan just stood and stared at the man who had done so much damage to them all. By removing Reid the way he had, by treating him the way he had and by not looking after him. That above all angered Morgan the most. He had failed to look after him properly.

Aaron was pacing the corridor waiting to be told he could go in and ask the questions he needed answered.

Prentiss had a list of names and was going to be going out that evening to ask what she needed to ask.

Floyd turned his head and looked at the figures standing outside his room. The doctor was there changing dressings on his face. Split lip, cracked cheek bone, black eye, broken nose, all held together with stitches and gauze. Fine – he'd had worse. He knew they would want to talk to him, and he was working out how he was going to get out of this. The plan was forming in his slightly fuddled mind when finally Hotchner was permitted to come in to talk to him.

He pulled up a chair and sat next to Flanders, making note of the bruises and what sort of pain this man must have been in and probably still is in.

"So Flanders, what happened?"

He rolled over onto this side to get a better look at Aaron. "I did nothing illegal." He looked at his fingers. Badly bruised – how they weren't broken he wasn't sure.

"You were pimping an FBI agent Flanders, how is that not illegal?"

A slightly puzzled look crossed his face before he spoke. "I didn't pimp him. He wanted to do that. He enjoyed it. He likes whoring him self. I just held the money for him. Or the drugs, depending on how he was paid. That was all him Agent Aaron Hotchner. Not me. You will have to ask him that."

Hotch knew he was lying but without Reid to talk to it was his word against no ones. "We cant find Reid."

Flanders pushed himself up on one elbow. "What do you mean you can't find him? He's not at home?"

"An address would be a good idea. I can send someone around to check. But no – we can't find him. It seems he has been removed."

Floyd was now sitting. "Am I under arrest?" Beginning to slide off the bed. "I need to find him."

Aaron put a hand on his arm. "Flanders, you had your head stamped on. You need to stay here and answer our questions so we can find him."

He put his hands to his head. He felt fine. Yes he felt great and if someone had his Spence then they would pay. He would take their tender and not so tender parts and cook them slowly in garlic and onion. He licked his lips and smiled at Aaron. "I am fine. I need to find him. I do care for him you know. However it might look to you. I'm not what you think I am."

Hotch stood up and shook his head. "You are not leaving the hospital Flanders; you are not fit to leave. They are still doing tests. Give me the address I will check it out."

"I don't want you or your goons trampling around my pad. I will check it. You come with me if you have to, but ya's not going there without me." He was walking slowly now to the cupboard which held his dirty clothing. Stripping off his hospital stuff and pulling on the things he had been wearing didn't bother him. He liked the thought Hotch was watching him. Much in the way he would watch Spence and a knot of worry. Where the hell was Spence?

……………………….

He was beginning to feel hungry. He pulled himself up and looked down at what he was wearing. Still in black jeans and boots, but his shirt was gone along with his memory. He pushed his hair back off his face. The last things he could remember doing were favours with 'friends'. He had no idea how he ended up here though or where his friends had gone.

He tried to take a step forwards away from this stinking hole he had been sleeping in, but his leg screamed out in agony and he slid down the wall to sit in the filth.

"You will die if you just sit there. Here have something to eat." He looked up to see a woman in her fifties handing down a bit of bread folded in half. "I have spares today."

Reid shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, "I'm cold." And then the shivering started. His teeth chattered together and he curled his toes up inside his boots. He was wet through to the skin.

"Come with me." She put a hand down for him to grab. "I will get you somewhere. They will give you something to wear. Stick with me. What's ya name?"

Tentatively he moved his hand down to his knee. "There's something wrong. I can't stand." And now the rain started again.

"You pull yourself up on me, I will take you somewhere dry, but hurry up kid, I'm getting wet and only doing this for you cos I saw what you did for those guys last night."

The woman half dragged her prize from the floor as the rain bucketed down onto the pair of them. She could feel his body shaking, and now he was out of the shadows more she could see the bruises on his torso.

"Where – where are we going?" He used her as support as she walked slowly down the side ally way.

"Don't worry kid. I won't hurt you. There's a shelter around the corner. I'll get you something to wear and something to eat. You stick with me." She could see money to be made here if the kid didn't get sick. She saw his tricks. A dollar here or there always handy and she wouldn't have to soil herself to do it.

"I'm n n not homeless." He tried to stop so he could think. He knew he had somewhere to live. Somewhere, he just had to think where it was.

"Of course you're not. None of us are really. You keep telling yourself that." They reached as set of steps. "Nearly there."

It was a painful wet journey but one he managed to make with the help of his companion who turned out to be called Sissy. He was still unsure what his name was so he let her call him Kid for now. Until he could remember.

The shelter had a big main hall. A place to sit and get free food. There was a book to write your name in but his hands were shaking too much to hold the pen. Sissy filled it in for him.

'Sissy and the Kid' She wrote in big bold print. She then called over to an attractive Hispanic looking woman with a name tag. "Charlene love. I have new boy here. Any chance of giving him something warm to wear. He was mugged."

The shelter worker walked over and smiled. She put a hand on Reid's shoulder. "This way sunshine. I will get you a sweater and jacket."

"He can't walk proper Charl. He's got a gammy leg." Sissy kept a tight hold of Reid's arm as the aid worker nodded.

"Go sit him down somewhere Sissy. I will go get something for him."

"I'm n not homeless." Reid's voice was stuttery with the cold.

"Of course not sunshine. Just another lost boy, when you find your way again you can repay us. How does that sound?" Well it sounded condescending but Reid kept his mouth shut for now.

Within half an hour he had been provided with a t shirt in faded red, a sweatshirt in faded green, and a long beige raincoat. "It will keep you warm and dry." He was told by Charlene. "If you come back later I will see about getting you somewhere to put your head down for the night." She looked over at Sissy.

"He will be fine Char. I'ma gonna look after this one."

Reid ate bread and dipped it in tomato soup and tried to pull in some of the warmth from the room he was sitting in. Stinking, steaming, dirty and soiled and now getting slowly drugged by Sissy who had every intention of loaning this boy's favours out and making a fortune from that innocent face.

………………..

They stood outside Floyd and Reid's apartment. Floyd with key in hand, Morgan with boot on foot. Either way Derek didn't care as long as they got in there.

"If you don't mind waiting outside."

Aaron put a hand on Flanders shoulder. "We mind." He took the key from Floyd's hand. "Thank you."

A small dark apartment. Hotch then Morgan and then Floyd entered the musty empty rooms. It was obvious to him that Spence hadn't been back, but he looked anyway. The bed hadn't been slept in. He stood looking in the bedroom with a tangle of feelings going around in his head and stomach.

"Where the hell is he?" A quiet voice meant for his ears only.

………………

* * *

**Still supporting the WGA strike. //sigh//**


	7. Chapter 7 Sissy

Sissy

_Deckard__: - To get this job. I mean, did... did you do, or... or were you asked to do anything lewd... or unsavory, or... or, otherwise repulsive to your... your person, huh?_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

Sissy looked at the soft hands and manicured fingernails and wondered where this boy had wondered in from. Obviously hurting and so in need of someone. He didn't seem to know what had happened to his leg. She had asked. Looked like a kneecapping to her so she reasoned he was involved in the sex and drugs scene. That was good, he would know what he was doing and she would provide him with anything he wanted to stick in his veins though it didn't appear he had track marks. Well upon closer inspection not recent ones. An ex-user. Well ex user of that type of drug. He was very obviously on something. She would just experiment with him. If it went wrong, well no skin off her nose, and no one was going to miss one little bit of scum. Even his own didn't want him. Why else would he have been sleeping in the shit behind the bins?

"Kid." She put a friendly hand on his shoulder. "We need to go. You ready?"

He looked up with big wide eyes trying to work out what was going on, but it seemed the harder he tried the more difficult it got to think straight. "Where?"

"I have somewhere. You come back with me. I will care for you. You need someone to look after you with that leg of yours." She pushed his plate and bowl back away from him. "Come on Kiddo. Sissy here will look after you."

Using the bench for leverage he pushed himself up and felt comforting arms of Sissy around him again. "I'm s s sorry."

"Don't be." A smile.

Sissy was about five foot six inches. Neither tall nor short. She had long brown hair which she took up in two plaits and tied at the top of her head. Her eyes a bright blue and her mouth wide and full lipped. Not ugly, but no great beauty either, she was slightly on the heavy side. Normally seen in a long gypsy style skirt and a blouse a bit too small to fit across her chest; she had at some point found an old rabbit fur coat. With her big boots this was how Sissy was dressed today. Broken finger nails scratched at her lice infected head with one hand, the other arm was wrapped around her limping prize.

It was raining again, or still, Reid couldn't remember now. He just knew he was cold and wet and his hair had fallen over his dirty face in a clumpy curtain of slightly wavy dirty hair. They walked together – Sissy introducing her friend to people she knew. Some of them just grunted. Another thing she'd found on the street somewhere. A couple of people stopped though and with a finger under his chin or a fingers wrapped around his hair - lifted his head up so they could see the face of this drowned rat. Big empty eyes looked back at these people.

Sissy lived in the basement of an abandoned apartment block. Mostly people left her alone. Sissy was mostly harmless, and good for favours and getting hold of stuff. She was watched as she took her new acquisition down the slimy steps and through the old broken in door.

It was a single room. The light came in via the gap in the door and the high widow on street level. In one corner was a pile of old newspapers and in another some old blankets. An upturned packing crate was around central and an old broken stool.

"Not much Kid, but better than being out in the rain and people know I am here." She moved her arm from around him and watched as he balanced on his good leg looking blankly around him. All good – all very good. Sissy pulled his wet rain coat off him and hung it to dry on the window hook. It was unlikely it would ever dry properly down in this rat infested hole, but that was the least of Reid's worries right now. She stood and looked at the skinny thing she had brought home. She would have to work on him a bit if she was going to make any money worth her time and effort.

An arm wrapped around him again. "You need to sit." She took him over to the pile of news papers and virtually threw him down. "Get comfy." She watched his long fingers pushing his hair off his face. Such a lovely face. That in its self was going to pay for drugs for a few days for the pair of them.

………………….

He could feel the eyes boring into the back of his head. "What? – just say it." Floyd walked into his bedroom and looked down at the dried blood still there next to the bed where he had his nose bleed.

Morgan was standing there next to him looking at the same thing. "Do we need the CSU guys here?" He looked at the floor and then at Flanders.

"Nose bleed. My nose bleed." He ran a slow hand over the covers on the bed. "Well he hasn't been back here. Did you say you had a list of names? The people who walked over my face?" Indicating his wounds with a finger." He turned and looked at Hotch.

"We have a few names to start off with." Hotch too was walking into Floyd's bedroom.

Flanders started to pull clothes out of cupboards and the wardrobe. "Do you mind if I look? I might know where some of them hang out." Slowly and provocatively he started to remove his clothes. "Oh, I don't mind you looking. As long as you only look eh Agent Derek Morgan?"

Morgan snapped his eyes off the undressing Flanders and turned to look at Hotch. "I am going to talk to the neighbours." Hotch nodded and moved aside to let Morgan pass him and leave the small stuffy apartment.

"I need a shower." Flanders laid clothes out on the bed and walked by Aaron. Maybe a little too closely. He smirked as he left the room. He could smell the pheromones rising off Aaron, and he was sure Aaron could smell his too.

A quick shower and hair wash later saw Flanders with a white towel wrapped around his waist grinning at Hotch. "I won't be long."

The scars covering Flanders body were showing up nicely on his fresh pink skin. Aaron was beginning to realise what it was Reid had seen in this man now. Tearing his eyes off the form in front of him was becoming difficult. Over Floyds shoulder he could see Morgan standing in the open apartment doorway also staring. Floyd could feel their want. He laughed inwardly and walked by Aaron into his room to get dressed leaving Hotch standing looking over at Morgan.

"Eh Morgan, any luck?"

Derek stood scratching his head unsure of what had just happened. He was a bit uncomfortable that he had found it that hard to take his eyes of the man. What was it about the guy that did this to people? "Um not really. No one answering, and the few who did either didn't know who I was talking about or didn't see anything ever. I want to go and find the people on that list." Walking slowly back towards Flanders bedroom where he was getting clothed again.

"Hotch?"

Aaron looked at Derek with a puzzled frown.

"What the hell just happened?"

Aaron was wiping the palms of his hands on his legs. "I'm not sure." He was feeling the pull to watch Floyd getting dressed. It took all his effort to keep his eyes locked on Derek. When Floyd reappeared and informed them he was ready to go looking for His Spence the two agents just stared for a minute then taking deep breaths and swallowing hard, the trio left.

Floyd was now in a clean pair of black low cut jeans and a full cut ivory silk shirt. He pulled over the top of that an ankle length leather coat, and then pulled his cowboy boots back on. They were old and scuffed but the only thing he ever put on his feet. He had towel dried his hair and replaced the rings and heavy watch. He was about to leave the small apartment but noted the other two just standing looking at him.

"What's wrong?" He lit up a cheroot.

Derek scratched his head. "I am thinking you are going to be a distraction."

A raised eyebrow.

…………………..

* * *


	8. Chapter 8 People on the List

People on the List

_Jim__: - You can't touch anything without destroying it! Who the hell do you think you are hanging around here, huh? Get the hell outta here! Go you freak! (Edward Scissorhands)_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

Floyd closed the door and locked it. A permanent smirk across his face now. He could feel them watching him. Wonderful!

Morgan took the list from Aaron and tore off the bottom few names. "I will go check these out with Prentiss." He handed the other half back to Aaron.

"Flanders with me." Hotch said as they walked off down the street in opposite directions. Flanders jogged a bit to catch up.

"You going to show me the list? I might be able to tell you stuff and I would like to know who was involved in the stomping I got."

Aaron had the horrible feeling that Floyd would have put his arm around him if he slowed down long enough to let him. He passed the bit of paper over to Floyd being careful not to make physical contact with him. Floyd stopped and stared at the list.

"You are kidding me. Who the hell have you sent Morgan and Prentiss after? These people will skin you alive and eat your for brunch. Are you totally insane?"

"Well you would know all about that sort of thing wouldn't you Flanders. My concern is where Reid is." Still walking but slowed down a bit now from the forced march.

"Spence isn't with this lot. I can tell you that now." Still standing just looking at the list. "Wally Hume is dead."

Hotch finally stopped and turned around. "Pardon?"

"The second name on the list Wally Hume: he is dead. Angelica Franco is in the slammer. Someone has been having you on mate."

"I still need to check it out. You can come with me, or you can accept a lift to the local PD and wait for me there. Your choice."

Flanders started walking again. "Only cos I am worried about Spence. That's the only reason. This is a fake list."

They made their way back to where Spencer had been taken and Floyd had been attacked. During the day the streets looked very different but it was still raining even though the air felt warm.

"You know the area Flanders, so where would they have taken him. Profile it for me – What do you feel?" Aaron stood looking around the now almost empty streets.

Floyd looked up and down the road. "They would have taken him somewhere and then dumped him. We need to find where they dumped him." He started to walk away from Hotch and towards the alley at the side of the buildings. Dark, smelly, urine and vomit splattered. "As good a place as any to start." Floyd called back and started to walk down the alley towards the bins. If Spencer had been here there was no sign of him now. Hotch walked quickly to keep up with Flanders.

"Why here?"

Floyd turned to look at him. "Nearest area with places to conceal either a body or someone you don't want found. He's not here now. Not that I expected him to still be here." He pulled out a cheroot again. "I know, I smoke too much. I am worried. Whatever you think of me Agent Aaron Hotchner, I do love him."

Hotch looked away from him. "This is too close to the club. Where else?" Floyd frowned then walked off further down the alley way.

"This way leads down towards the derelict buildings and the shelters. If they wanted to dump someone and he not look out of place that might be where to go." He ran fingers through wet hair, "Maybe, I'm not the FBI agent. You tell me."

"You're doing good. Show me this other place.

They walked for a bit longer. Trying not to look behind the piles of rubbish – each not wanting the other to think they were expecting to find a corpse and not a living breathing Spencer.

The area Floyd had brought Hotch to was different to the one they had just left. There were more people around. Rough people. Homeless, junkies, prostitutes but people none the less.

"If he ended up here someone would have found him. Taken him in, or traded him on. If – if he was here we will find out." Floyd made his way over to a guy with a big beard and a bigger belly. He pulled something out of his pocket but kept it out of Aaron's line of sight. "I am looking for someone."

"We all are." Was the gruff reply.

"Tall bloke with a lame leg. A bit roughed up. Would have been dumped last night or this morning." Offering the thing in his hand.

"Didn't see a thing. Was away." Floyd passed over the thing in his hand.

"There is more if you remember." He walked onto the next.

"Tall good looking guy. Limping. Mashed up a bit." He had something in his hand again.

The teenaged girl took the thing from his hand and smiled. "The shelter. He was there this morning having soup." Rolling the thing in her hand. "I am sure he was with someone. She looked up into Floyd's eyes and put her hand out again.

Hotch started to walk forwards seeing that she seemed to know something but Floyd put a hand out to stop him. He glanced around to Hotch and shook his head and then back to the girl handing out something else to her. "Tell me all you know."

"The shelter around the corner. He was with Sissy but they're not there now. They left. He couldn't walk – she was helping him. She will have him." A nod. "He was doing drugs – openly like doing drugs. Thought they would kick Sissy out but they didn't. Gave him something to wear cos he was wet and cold. Sissy gave him something in his soup."

"Tell me more about Sissy." A nod of the head had Aaron over listening too.

"Are you cops?" She was looking down at the twists of cellophane in her hand.

"I'm not a cop sweetheart. Just tell me what you know of Sissy. Sounds like she has my friend. I need to get him back."

"I can show you where she is staying, but you don't tell anyone I said. She would have me for telling on her."

Aaron could see the fists Floyd was making with his hands and the way his posture was changing. He Stepped in next to Floyd and put a hand on his shoulder. "Just show us where Sissy is please."

She gave Hotch a funny look. "Whatever." And she started to walk off in the direction of a big old apartment block. She suddenly turned to Floyd. "Basement." Then turned and walked off into the shadows.

Hotch and Flanders stood together in the rain and looked down the slick steps going to some dirty old basement.

……………………

He awoke to the feel of someone pulling him to sit. "Wake up kid. You are needed." His fuzzy eyes looked around trying to remember what was going on and who he was. "Drink this." Something put in his hands. A beaker of something. He slowly put it to his mouth and sipped it. "Just drink up."

The next thing he remembered was not quite waking again, but becoming aware. Sobering up would have been a better way to put it and his head clearing slightly. Enough to know what was happening was wrong. He was being violated and hurt by someone behind him. Spencer let out a whimper as he attempted to crawl away from the man behind him but he was still too weakened from whatever it was Sissy had given him. More than one set of hands on him, touching and laughing and a pain like he had never felt shooting through his body. The whimpering turned into a scream and the scream turned into a word just before the hands wrapped around his throat stopping his calls for help.

…………………….

Standing at the top of the wet steps working out how to go about this. The sudden noise from the slightly open doorway had Floyd running. The sound of his name being shouted by someone in pain had him almost flying down the steps. Hotch pulled his gun and walked quickly with slightly more caution, but with a knot of pain in his stomach at the sound of his agent calling out for help and calling out for Floyd.

Flanders was through the door and shouting abuse as Hotch reached the bottom of the stairs.

………………..

There were four men- there was a woman with long hair, and there under the men writhing and slowly going limp in the hands of one of the men was Spence. Floyd shouted a cry pain and anger and flew at the men trying to knock them out of the way. Hotch stepped in and pointed his gun in the direction of the brawl which was now taking place. He didn't see Sissy behind him with the baseball bat. He just about heard the whooshing sound it made as it arced through the air. He felt something impact with the back of his head and he saw the gun drop from numb fingers. As Hotch went down to his knees he tried to work out what had gone wrong and something hit him hard across the back of his neck.

Floyd was biting and shouting and trying to get the hands off his Spence. Reid he could see was just hanging from the man's hands now. His struggle had stopped and as they released Reid the hands went for Floyd who head butted and spat and bit at the men until the bat made contact with the back of his head too. It made a loud crumping sound, and for a second it slowed Flanders down but only long enough for him to reach out and try to remove someones testicles with his fingers. The bat hit him again. Still he didn't stop as his fingers squeezed and twisted and the person the were joined onto screamed and then the bat smacked him in the face. He shook his head and carried on.

He finally stopped when he saw Sissy pick up the gun and hold it to the back of Aaron's head.

"Stop now. Stop. Whoever the hell you are. Stop or I kill him now." And Floyd didn't care. If Hotch died here it mattered not to him but it would matter to Spencer and that hesitation was enough for the others to be on him and for nylon cuffs to be put around Floyds wrists and for the final boot in the face which stopped him and laid him out cold on the damp concrete floor next to Hotch who was bleeding from a head wound and Spencer who was laying blue lipped and still.

……………..

* * *

**For Heath

* * *

**


	9. Chapter 9 Chains and Cuffs

Chains and Cuffs

_Brian__: He stole all my clothes. I'm suspecting gay-on-gay crime here._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

As the light crept behind his eyelids Hotch moaned at the pain in his head and tried to put his hands over where the pain was coming from. He was stopped from doing so as his hands were cuffed in front of him. He opened his eyes to see a brick wall with a ring secured to it, and in turn he was secured to the ring.

He turned over onto his back a lay looking at the old cracked ceiling for a while before someone spoke to him.

"You're awake at last." The snarky voice of Flanders. "Awaiting orders from boss man. Now what the fuck do we do?"

Did he have to always have something to moan about? Or was this his way of co-operating? "You ok?"

"Never better. Are you in cuffs or these nylon binder crap things?"

Hotch looked over at his hands. "Cuffs. Why?"

"Curious. They used different methods of binding us. They know I can get out of cuffs. I can't get out of these fuckers as easily though."

Hotch tried to turn over further to see who he was talking to, and to get a look at Spencer. It pulled at the muscles in his arms but he managed to turn enough to see Flanders standing against the opposite wall his hands bound and above his head.

"Spencer?" Aaron couldn't see him.

Floyd shook his head. "I haven't seen him." A tightly set mouth. "Hotchner – I swear if they have …"

Hotch cut him off not wanting to hear the words. "Has anyone been in?"

Again a shake of the head and a pull on the nylon binders which had started to cut through his wrists now causing a line of fresh blood to run down Floyd's arms.

Hotch had been stripped of his jacket, tie and shoes. He had on his suit trousers and a pale blue, once crisp and sharp, now sweaty and grubby shirt.

Floyd had on his jeans and shirt. They had taken his boots and coat. Hotch could see where Floyd's face hand bled and dripped over that expensive and now ruined looking silk shirt.

Floyd could see how the blood from the back of Hotch's head had dripped and oozed over his back and dried dark and stiff.

………………

He was sure he had seen Floyd and Aaron, or had it just been an hallucination as there was no sign of them now. All there was now was more pain and more hands touching him. He lay on his back eyes unfocused trying to block out the sounds coming from the person moving over the top of him. He could smell the rotten breath, he could taste the foul mouth which had been licking and nibbling at his face and exploring his mouth. If he had anything in his stomach he would have been sick, that would be assuming he had the strength left to do anything other than lay unfocused feeling nothing but the ripping tearing pain and the agony from his leg which was being bent and forced into a position it didn't want to be in.

Reid's hands were tied above his head to a ring in the wall much like the one Aaron was attached to, only Reid's was in a different room and Reid was laying on a dirty stained filth encrusted mattress.

Occasionally Sissy would force his mouth open and pour a liquid down a tube she forced into his throat. He would cough and splutter for a short while and then just lay there while she wiped his body over with a grubby damp towel then he would be covered with a dirty blanket and lay and look and scream inside his head.

………………….

Morgan and Prentiss stood looking at their cells. They had tried Hotch, and they had again tried Reid. Voicemail. The as a last resort Morgan had tried Flanders but again voicemail.

"Something's wrong." Morgan was grabbing his jacket and getting ready to storm out into the night.

Prentiss picked up her rain coat and slipped it on – tying it hard in at the waist. "I'm coming with you. I – er I know some of those people you are going to be shouting at."

Morgan swung round and looked at Emily and sighed. "Good, you ask the questions, I will see what I can pick up visually."

The two of them left JJ and Garcia to fish through CCTV in the area. Something must have picked up on someone.

The life was just getting started when the two agents arrived on the scene so to speak. Emily tucked her hair behind her ears and looked at the night sky. Overcast and just starting to rain again. A hand on Derek's shoulder. "Morgan" He turned to look at Emily. "They are just people. You don't need to strut and pose. You will just draw attention to yourself."

Derek gave Emily a frown. "I wasn't aware that I was."

"An overt display of your masculinity will not go un-noticed and well – It just won't go un- noticed. Be yourself."

"I was."

Prentiss nodded. "I was afraid of that." A smile. "Come on – we need to find out what happened to Reid."

Two hours of questions revealed nothing. No one had seen anything and if they had they were not saying. The names Morgan had on his list had all come to a dead end, so even the few clues they did have led to nothing except the crematorium.

………………….

Flanders frowned. "Did you hear that? Or was that in my head?"

Hotch moved to look over at him again. "What do you think you heard?"

"Spence." He looked up at the cuffs and the way they had ripped at his flesh. "Damn these things! Hotch I am going to get out of them ok – then I will get you out of those." He stood still listening for something. "Shit. They are hurting him Hotch." Aaron watched as Flanders twisted and manipulated his hands. He watched the blood flowing harder and he saw the tear (!) running down Floyd's face. If from anger – pain – or love he didn't know. He just noted that this man was able to feel something.

It was a snapping cracking slurping ripping sound that pulled Aaron's attention back to Floyd's hands. He was on his knees holding his wrists. The bloodied binders hanging empty from the wall.

"Oh crap." Floyd was ripping off a bit from the bottom of his shirt to wrap around the wrists now pouring freely with blood.

Aaron could see this man who seemed virtually indestructible shaking in pain and shock of what he had just done to himself – wrapping bits of silk shirt around his arms so he didn't bleed out before he could help him.

"Flanders, get over here." Pulling at his cuffs. At least if they were together he could maybe help him before he bled to death. He watched the eyes make contact then the slow painful crawl over to help him out of his cuffs.

Floyd's hands sticky and slimy with his own blood reached out and started to manipulate the cuffs. He let the blood drip and he spat on the cuffs and wiggled them and with a final tug they opened. Flanders then slid forwards and down onto his face where he lay unmoving for a while. "Shit." He managed to mutter. "I might have just killed myself."

He closed his eyes and lay there trying to get the strength back to stop the bleeding as he felt Aaron roll him onto his back and re-do the rough bandages now sodden and dripping around his wrists.

Hotch sat up and looked down at the animal laying across his lap. He hated this man. He had taken Spencer and done unspeakable things to him. He had drugged and raped him, and sold him on to the highest bidder at some dirty back room and in vile toilets, and some how Spencer had let him. If it was through the drugs or just this mans over powering personality he wasn't sure, but seeing him there now he knew he didn't want his man dead. A sigh and he pulled away further. What the hell was he thinking? This was a murderer – suspected of eating parts of his victims. How could his mind even start to feel pity for him?

…………………

Spencer felt the sudden rush of cold air as the blanket was pulled off him. He tried to curl up and escape from what he knew was coming next but he couldn't move. He opened his eyes a tiny amount to see who it was - Correction who they were and as they moved him and lay on him and crushed him and touched him he cried out in pain and squirmed, making it all the more fun for the guys playing their games as they ripped into him again.

………………

Floyd lay on his stomach with his eyes shut trying to get the energy to get up and right there in the back of his mind – there it was again – Spencer was calling out to him.

He looked over at Hotch who just stared back.

"Time to go?" Floyd asked.

Hotchner nodded as a distant and muffled scream echoed through the wet dirty basement they were being held in.

………………

* * *


	10. Chapter 10 Screams in the Dark

Screams in the Dark

_Part of me is afraid to get close to people because I'm afraid that they're going to leave: - Marilyn Manson_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

"I need to tell you before we go any further." Floyd was slowly getting up onto his hands and knees. "If I ever suspect you have been sleeping with Spence I will have to kill him." A pause while he got unsteadily to his feet. "And then kill you." Back down to his knees again.

"You are in no position to be threatening me Flanders. You are still bleeding. I need your help to get Reid out of here and your co-operation has been duly noted. Let me help you with your wrists."

Back down on his face again. "It wasn't a threat Agent Aaron Hotchner. It was a promise. Leave me – I have bled out too much. Go save him."

Hotch walked back over to Floyd ripping strips off the bottom of his own shirt. "I can't leave you." He took Flanders arms and wrapped the cloth tightly around the soggy silk already there. He noted how Floyd's arms were shaking and his breathing becoming short and sharp. As he rolled him over onto his back again Flanders' eyes rolled back and he started fitting.

Aaron sat back on his heals and waiting for it to stop. This wasn't going well. He could faintly hear someone's cries for help and he had a horrible feeling it was Spencer. "I'm sorry Flanders. I need to go help Reid." He waited until the fit stopped and rolled him onto his side. "I'll come back for you." Hotch looked around the room for a weapon. Anything he could use in hand to hand, but the room had been stripped. Crouching down he placed his fingers against Floyd's neck checking for a pulse, then stood up, "Sorry." He muttered as he walked towards the only door in the room.

He wiped the blood off his face with his forearm and listened at the door. Definite sounds but not right outside. Fingertips on the door now and looking back at the still form laying on his side. With a big sigh he tried the door handle. "I'm on my way Spence." The door opened out into a small dark corridor. One door at one end and two doors in the other direction. A deep breath. Once final look back and he was out of the room and closing the door behind him.

The passage was lit by some strip lighting flickering on and off. Though still dingy it was brighter than the room he had just stepped out of. Again he glanced around for something he could use as a weapon. The odds of finding Reid and getting out were now halved. His heart pounding in his chest he walked carefully towards where he would hear the sounds of – he didn't want to think what it sounded like but someone was in pain, and someone – more than one voice was having fun. The hurting voice was getting quieter and the playful sounds stopped. This worried him. Hotch was running out of time. He was nearly at the first door when the one just further down swung open. He pulled himself quickly back into the alcove of the door way and listened.

Three maybe four male voices. "Thanks for the fun Sissy. You got you a right live wire there girl. Let me know when the others are ready. Threesome always pays better." Throaty laughter and some thigh slapping jokes and japes. Hotch wanted to jump out and kill them where they stood, but he was unarmed. He had to take his time and be cautious.

………………..

Spencer lay bleeding and broken on the dirty mattress, his hands stretched out above his head secured with cuffs to the ring in the wall. He was laying on his side shaking with shock and pain rocking slowly and making strange keening sounds. The attack had finally finished and someone had thrown a blanket over him. He could feel something creeping out of his nose and along his cheek and blood and drool foamed pink from the corner of his mouth and mixed with the blood from his nose and ear. He would have cried if he could. But there was nothing left now.

He tired to cut out the sound of Sissy talking. Planning his future. Taking and counting her money. He felt the blanket being taken away again and could sense the pressure on the bed behind him as someone sat down. Sissy. She was talking to herself and running her hands over him. Touching him – kissing his bruised and bloodied skin. Running her tongue over his neck and sucking on his earlobe. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but rock and moan from that deep dark place he usually reserved for the horrors Floyd inflicted upon him.

……………….

The door was slightly open which was the first thing so far going in Hotch's favour. He stood and looked first. Seeing what and who he could see in the room. He could hear Sissy talking. Sounded like she was talking to a pet dog or cat or something. Cooing words of comfort. He pushed the door slightly not knowing if it would make a dreadful creaking sound or not. Point number two in his favour.

Aaron couldn't see what she was doing. She was laying sideways on the bed and Hotch was a few steps in when he realised she was with someone. Someone thin. Someone he knew. His stomach twisted in a knot which threatened to make him throw up and his heart pounded even harder as he stood and watched the woman fondling and stroking Reid.

Quickly before anything could change the situation Hotch was there. The crook of his elbow around her neck pulling her backwards off his youngest team member. Off the young man who was the BAU genius and was now a battered broken whore.

Sissy kicked and shouted and tried to bite and scratch but the horror of what he was now looking at surpassed any pain she might have been giving him. With an arm pulled up behind her back he had two choices. Subdue her and tie her up with something, or just kick her out of the room and get to help Spencer. A pair of wire binders laying on the crate table was what he needed and used. Once Sissy had her hands secured to a pipe running down the wall Hotch was free to help Spencer.

Sissy screamed and shouted abuse, but he ignored her threats as he picked up set of keys and moved over to Reid, hoping they would undo the cuffs holding him to the bed.

There was an old damp towel and with tears threatening to cloud his vision he took it and gently began to wipe the blood off Spencer's skin. Attempting to return to him some dignity and unlocking the cuffs as he went. He moved the towel over his arms and along the side of his chest. He was pitifully thin. Hotch didn't realise how under weight he had become. Reid was good at disguising it, or he was poor at noticing it.

He wrapped grabbed a blanket off the floor and was going to wrap Reid in it and carry him out of the building. At first Reid tried to fight him off. Big terrified eyes stared into nothing as he flailed with his arms trying to get Hotch off him. It was like wrapping a wriggling baby in a bath towel. Awkward but possible. He carried on with the calming voice where Sissy had left off.

"Spencer it's me, it's Aaron. I am getting you out of here. It's going to be alright. Just relax. I've got you now." He was shocked at how little Reid weighed as he picked him up off the disgusting bed and now tears of deep pain and sorrow left Hotch's eyes as he walked down the passage in the direction the men had gone.

"Nearly out now." Holding the youngest close to his chest. "It's over."

And from behind him the screams started. At first he thought it was Sissy claiming her second wind, and then he realised. It was his name being screamed.

……………………

Floyd opened an eye. He felt drugged or drunk. He opened the other eye. He had chomped down on his tongue as some point. Slowly he lifted his arms up and looked at the blood soaked bandages. "What the hell happened? Where am I?"

He rolled over to be looking at a pair of boots. Big boots. Floyd felt the support which was already covering a broken nose give way as the boot made speedy contact with his face.

Flanders managed to get to his knees and was using the wall to balance to get to his feet. A blade slashed across his face. The next attack he managed to defend and got the knife stuck in his hand. He stood and looked at it as the blades owner pulled it out again. Slashing and jabbing at his neck and chest.

And as a boot started to make hard fast contact with his hip and upper leg and then groin, he called for Hotch. The shouts of anger suddenly turning to gasps and gurgles as the knife slid up under his ribs, and then the boot cracked against his jaw and the world went dark.

…………………..

Hotch heard someone call his name, but it suddenly stopped, and now Spencer was wriggling and going hysterical in his arms. His agent the most important thing right now. He left Floyd to his fate and hoped he would be able to come back for him as he promised.

………………….

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	11. Chapter 11 Floyd, Aaron and Spence

Floyd Aaron and Spence.

_Deckard__: - I'm from the, uh, Confidential Committee on Moral Abuses. (Bladerunner)_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

He burst through the doors and out into the darkness of the side street. Hotch was calling for someone to get him a phone. He needed a phone and Spencer was panicking and writhing and shaking so much Hotch finally had to lay him down still wrapped securely in the blanket. Aaron was stroking his hair and shouting out, someone get an ambulance. Someone lend him a phone.

And the rain started to fall again in straight sheets in the warm muggy air of the old backstreets.

Spencer had his head tipped back slightly, his eyes staring up into nothing, the rainwater falling in them, unblinking, shaking and making the strange noises Hotch had heard him make earlier.

"I called for medics." A voice from behind Hotch. He was looking down at Reid's face, battered and closed. He turned from Reid to see who it was had spoken to him. A very tall, very thin girl with her arms wrapped tightly around her. "What happened to him? Is he dead? I told them I thought he might be dead, but ya covered in blood too. What the hell happened down there? I heard screaming."

His thoughts turned to Floyd and then back to Reid. He had to get Reid out of here and get back up. "You have a cell phone I can borrow?"

"No Mister, you give me a number and I will make a call for you. You aint using my phone. It's my life line." She did hold the phone up though awaiting the number he wanted her to call. He read out the number. "When he answers….say 'Hotch has Reid. He needs back up' – and tell him where we are." The girl nodded and stood with her little pink phone to her ear.

"Oh hey, yes, hi, right I have a message. Hotch had Reid? I think that was it – he's nodding – and erm back up? Yes he is nodding again." She gave Morgan their location and snapped the phone shut.

"So are there more people down there?" She was looking down the stairs the way Hotch had come running up from.

Hotch put a hand out to her. "I am sorry I didn't get your name."

"Shannon."

"Shannon, don't go down there. There's bad things been happening. You need to stay away." He went back to stroking the shaking Spencer and talking in calming words. He could hear the approaching emergency vehicles. He needed Morgan here. Quickly. Someone needed to go and get what was left of Floyd out.

As the blue lights swamped the area Hotch heard a familiar voice. "Hotch man, what happened?!" Morgan was there running towards him Prentiss not far behind.

"I need to go to the hospital with Reid. Someone needs to go and get Flanders."

Morgan stood watching as the paramedics ran over and started to remove the blanket from Reid.

"NO!" Hotch put a hand over the hand of the medic "I will carry him." Aaron bent down, his head swimming with the cracks he took on the back of his neck and head. "Morgan, Prentiss, be careful, there are people down there. You need backup but you must get Flanders out. Alive if you can – if it's not too late."

…………………….

Morgan and Prentiss stood at the foot of the small flight of stairs. The door at the bottom was open and they could hear someone shouting.

"I know you are there you bastards. Come on then. Come and get him." A rough low voice.

Morgan pulled out his gun and flashlight and shone it down the dingy passageway. About half way down stood a man about six foot six tall and just as wide. One hand he had a shot gun, in the other he had a chain and was dragging something behind him.

"Put down your weapon." Morgan pointed his pistol at the man and Prentiss brought hers up to match. "Whatever that is you have in your hand, drop it now."

As the man took a step forwards, whatever it was on the end of the chain groaned. He pulled the chain forwards and up and moved the gun to point at Flanders who was attached to the other end of the chain by a length of piano wire around his neck. His hands were secured behind his back. Morgan would have liked nothing more than the UnSub standing there to take Flanders' brains out there in that dirty hole of a passage. A fitting end to the scum, but Hotch had requested an alive Floyd, and so that's what he would get.

Morgan heard Prentiss let out a small gasp as they watched Flanders drag himself up to his knees. His face had been re-mashed. His thick dark hair hung in blood enriched clumps around his face. The support dressing he had on his nose had been ripped off and his nose re-broken. Big dark bruises were forming under his eyes and his lip was split. Then there was the knife slash across the right side of his face –bridge of nose down to jaw line, and a series of what looked to be piercings or small stab wounds to his neck and chest. He had foaming blood popping out from a cut just below his ribs, and a foam of pinkish gore coming from his mouth and nose. Yet still he was trying to stand and not be brought down by the monster who was choking him with piano wire.

As Flanders began to lurch forwards to stand, the UnSub pressed the barrel of the gun hard down on the back of Floyd's neck.

"It won't take much to finish this thing. Back off or he is dead." Floyd went back down to his knees but looked up at Derek and Emily and attempted a smirk.

"Hey it's the pink and black power rangers." Coughing bloody foam, his eyes rolled back as his world went dark again and the wire around his neck took the strain.

It was a small distraction, but one both Morgan and Emily took advantage of. Their guns cracked in their hands the second the shot gun left the back of Flanders head. The UnSub wouldn't have even known it had happened it was so fast. Two head shots. Two smoking guns.

They stepped forwards, Prentiss bending down and checking out Flanders. "Hey." She called back "We need medics down here. Now!"

………………….

Aaron sat with Spencer in the ambulance. He wanted to tell him everything was going to be alright. That the pain will stop now, but he knew it wouldn't. He watched as the medics gave him a quick once over. Hotch flinched at the sight of the torn bleeding skin and wanted to cry at the empty glazed look Reid had on his face.

As Spence was rushed off to the emergency room Hotch had his head looked at. He was starting to shake now. If with delayed shock, now his body was permitting him to relax a bit or with fear of what had happened to Reid he wasn't sure. He just knew he needed to lay down and probably be very sick.

……………….

Spencer was somewhere else. His world consisted of patterns made of words and they rushed across his vision stumbling and falling over themselves to try and escape 'filth, scum, pervert, depraved, trash, sleaze, unclean, tainted, spoiled.' The list went on endlessly blocking out everything else. No sounds nor feelings encroached on his words. Some of them were accompanied by pictures and smells, which made him cry out and twitch.

They cleaned him and inspected him and did all the necessary tests needed. They sighed and felt sad for this brutalised destroyed young person. They had asked his friend about getting the police involved but were told they were FBI agents and it was being sorted. For him maybe – not for this broken person.

Vaguely he felt cold hands touching him and things being wiped over him and he no longer cared. He just wanted to wrap his arms around himself and pull his mind back inside where it was safe and protect it from the outside world.

The staff told Hotch he could go and see Reid, but don't expect him to respond. He had withdrawn, and looking at his medical records they were shocked that someone with such a background had managed to make it this far.

Aaron sat and held his hand. He gently stroked Reid's hair off his face and almost wished he hadn't. Now he had to see those eyes. Staring eyes occasionally flicking from side to side, reacting to something only he could see; his hands and sometimes his mouth twitching slightly as something raced across his vision, but there was no reaction to Hotch being there.

"It is to be expected. His mind is healing. He is in shock. Don't expect too much from him – don't expect anything from him."

This was Flanders fault. This was all his doing and Aaron would make sure he never saw natural daylight again.

…………………….

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	12. Chapter 12 In for Repairs

In for Repairs

_McMurphy__: - What do you think you are, for Chrissake, crazy or somethin'? Well you're not! You're not! You're no crazier than the average asshole out walkin' around on the streets and that's it._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

As Reid was sent off for CT scans and more tests Aaron went to find out what was happening with Flanders. He was in surgery. Punctured lung, massive blood loss, they didn't know how he was still alive with the amount of blood he had lost. His body had started to close down, but for some reason he was still alive and awake. This man was a minor miracle. They had stitched up his face, reset his nose, sewn up the forty or so holes which hand been punched in him by the knife. They sewed and dressed his hand and the deep slices in his wrists – which in themselves should have killed him. For cracked ribs there was not much they could do to help, for bruises on his face and lower body there was not much they could do but wait and hope he healed.

It was the alertness of his mind which had them puzzled.

Hotch stood outside the room he had been given and looked at the mess laying looking at the ceiling.

"You can come in. I'm not likely to bite. Not today."

Hotch gave a small nod and walked in pulling up a chair, sitting down out of contact range but close enough to see the pain Floyd must be in. "I wasn't expecting you to be awake."

"You weren't expecting me to be alive. Spence."

"Dr Reid is something we will talk about later. With witnesses. It was you I want to talk about."

A sigh "I just want to be sure he is alive. They won't tell me anything."

"It's not your problem anymore. Forget Reid. I haven't forgotten what you did. You put your life in danger to help me. I need to remind you however that if it had not been for you Reid wouldn't have been in the situation he was in, in the first place. You are responsible for what happened and although I will mention your part in the recovery operation which followed I will make sure you will never be a free man again."

"I took him dancing. I took him for a night out. Why do you feel you can get me incarcerated because you didn't like the venue?" Hotch looked at Floyd pushing himself up on his elbows.

"It wasn't the venue which was the problem, it was the activities you enforced upon my agent once there." Hotch now looked as Floyd keeping his eyes closed in concentration sat up fully in the bed.

"Any activities which were seen or enjoyed were done so without coercion or duress. He is a whore Agent Aaron Hotchner. He likes to whore himself out. It's something he does well. It's something he isn't mocked about. He has a place and he knows it."

"You drugged him."

"He was on pain killers. For his knee. That is all. Nothing else. Ask him." He moved now so his legs were over the side of the bed.

"You need to stay in bed." Hotch stood.

"I said ask him."

"I know what you said."

Aaron saw the look of panic slide over Floyd's face. "Why are you not asking him then?" He stood.

"He is having tests. You need to get back into the bed Flanders. You have stitches you will pull."

"Sod the stitches. What's going on? What's wrong with him? You are keeping something from me." He took what looked to Hotch to be a very painful step forwards.

"I'm not keeping anything from you. Get back on the bed and we will talk. If you persist in showing this aggressive behaviour I will walk from the room and the discussion will be over." Hotch waited until Floyd was sitting and then started up again. "He is not responding. He has withdrawn into an almost catatonic state."

Floyd ran fingers through his hair. "I need to see him."

"We need to come to some sort of agreement first." Aaron sat down too so as to appear less threatening.

"Agreement?"

"I can insist on a couple of things but they would be more conducive to a quick recovery on your part if you volunteer." Aaron leaned forwards watching Flanders closely.

"I'm listening. I may not carry out this plan of yours, but I am listening."

"You need treatment. You need to be hospitalized. For an unknown period of time."

"I am feeling fine. I heal quickly."

"I'm not talking about your body. You seem to be intent on keeping up a relationship with Reid. I don't like or understand it and I will not give you my blessing. I am asking, as a friend of Spencer's for you to seek therapy."

"Screw you Aaron. Again."

"I will stop you seeing him. I won't have you destroy him further."

Floyd was standing again, this time with less pain on his face. "It's not your decision to make."

Hotch stood and took a step towards Floyd. "He has no family as you well know."

"He has me." Floyd interjected.

"He needs someone to look out for him."

"He is a grown man."

"He is different. He needs someone to look out for him."

"He has me." He repeated.

"You will kill him."

"Then he will die happy. Get out of my way."

"You will agree to my terms or I will have you arrested for kidnapping a federal agent and drugging him. I will have you inside so fast your feet won't hit the ground. It is my way or nothing."

"You want to lock me in an asylum. No – you want me to ask to be locked in one. You don't want Spence to know you have anything to do with this – stop me when you think I have got it wrong – you want me to stay away from him as a volunteer or stay away from him in some dark forgotten hole of a prison."

Hotch nodded.

"It seems it is all the same Aaron. You who have done your own share of whoring with Spence." Floyd felt Hotch's hand swipe him across his face, snapping his head to the side. "I have _smelt_ him on you! I am – not – stupid! I_ know_ he has whored with you. I KNOW!"

"Along with the therapy for your sexual sadism, you need to sort out your paranoia. You are delusional Flanders. You are a sadist suffering from a psychotic breakdown. You flit from one personality to the next and don't even realise what you have done. Or your choose to ignore it. I'm not the expert here and I don't know which interpretation of your mental state is the more worrying, but you will not be around Spencer again for a long time."

"Unless?" Fingers running through his hair again - "Unless I agree to your terms?"

"I'm not Spencer. I don't forgive as easily as he does. I'll protect him from you for as long as you are around. Unless you agree to the terms." A pause. "And even then I will feel it my responsibility to keep an eye on him."

"Aaron – he is not a child. Why are you treating him as such? I understand you need him. You need him to feel he needs you back, but I don't understand why you say he needs protecting. What are you protecting him for. Why not Morgan, or JJ for that matter.

………………….

After a few days they decided to transfer Reid to a specialist unit. There was nothing more they could do for him here. He was given a special diet, and he was still fitted with a catheter. He didn't respond to anything. The doctors were worried that he had closed himself so far down that he would never be able to claw his way out again.

He would need lots of very careful handling, by people who understood what happened and what caused this. Hotch stepped in as a lawyer for him to make sure he got what was owing to him. This way he could live somewhere where he could slowly heal. Somewhere that didn't smell of a hospital or prison. Somewhere a bit like where Spencer's mum was.

…………….

Floyd spent his first few weeks healing in a straight jacket screaming and throwing himself at the walls. He threatened anyone who came near him, and he spent evenings sitting staring off into space, his lips barely moving. Talking to him self, or to some imaginary friend. His food was drugged, his water was drugged, his mind slowly calmed down until the screaming stopped and all he did was sit against the wall in his pyjama bottoms and bang his head against the off white paint. His lips moving continuously.

……………..

_Spence are you there?_

Where are you?

_They locked me away. They wouldn't let me see you._

I needed you.

_I needed you too._

Can I visit you?

_I am locked up somewhere. They are all mad._

I'm sorry hun – this is all my fault.

_It's Ok Babes. Just wake up for them. Get well._

I can't. I can't do it.

_Sure you can. Just listen to Aaron. _

I try to. I want to.

_Then you know what to do. Respond to him. _

How?

_When he holds your hand, squeeze it. Let him know you are in there still._

I can't do this alone.

_You're not alone Babes. I am with you._

……………………..

* * *


	13. Chapter 13 Revenge

Revenge

_Tinny once said: - Sorry it's too late to search for a quote._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

"Drink up." Cheerful bleeding voice. He didn't feel cheerful. He hated it here. The only thing getting in through one day to the next was the knowledge he was going to destroy Aaron as surely as he was trying to destroy him.

"Piss off with your drugs girly." He didn't look up from the bit of fluff stuck to his pyjama bottoms.

"Come on now don't be like that Floyd. It's good for you. Keeps you thinking straight." She grinned at him.

"I am thinking straight. I am thinking 'if she takes another step towards me I will break her neck.' Is that clear enough for you…" He looked up at her name written on a badge on the front of her uniform….he squinted. "Olivia. Is that clear?"

He pulled his knees up tight and wrapped his arms around them in a manner he had seen Reid use many a time, and now realised how comforting it felt. It was a barrier against everything; Including Nurse Olivia and her receptacle of poison.

"You made it very clear. Now let me make something clear to you. Out there you might have been some sort of leader of men, a 'hot shot' bully boy, but in here you are nothing. In here you are just another loon. Do you get me Floyd? Is that clear? You drink this or I get the orderlies over there to hold you down and I stick a needle in your cute little over used ass." She held the drink out in front of her for him to take. "Drink it."

Floyd pushed up from the wall. He took a deep breath. Something which was still causing pain though he refused to let anyone know he had a weakness. He leaned forwards and took the polystyrene cup from her hand and squeezed it and let it drop to the floor. "Screw you nursey. Screw you and screw your orderlies. Drug me darling but you will have to fight me. Or you can just sod off and leave me alone."

A click of the fingers and they were on him. He felt his head crack on the wall as they pulled him down then turned him over onto his front. They knelt on his back and stood on his hands and someone had a foot resting on the back of his right knee. He cursed and spat at them he tired to bite until an ' accidental' foot caught him in the mouth and shut him up for a few minutes. A foot on the side of his head and a needle in his backside had Floyd finally laying still.

"Next time just drink the damned meds." And Nurse Olivia walked off and left him drooling and twitching against the wall.

……………………

Reid was watching the words floating in front of his eyes. Today they were slow, stuttering. He sat in a chair his mouth slightly open his eyes flickering side to side. Occasionally his hands would lift and he would look at them and then his eyes returned to the flickering wide eyed oddness he had taken on.

Aaron pulled up a chair and sat looking at him for while. Weeks had gone now and no change. He put a hand out and took one of Reid's in his. No reaction. A limp warm hand just laying in his.

For a second there Aaron thought Reid was trying to say something to him. His lips moved and his eyes – for the briefest of moments – fixed on Aaron's and then it was gone again but there in that split second Aaron knew there was hope. They could pull him back again. If this was done properly.

When they tucked Dr Reid up in his bed that night making sure to leave a light on the noted how for the first time rather than lay on his back as they put him he rolled over onto his side and hugged his knees. They made a note of this small but important development. This combined with his friend's report that he was sure Reid was trying to talk to him gave the staff small hope that he would come back to them one day. Very early days yet, but yes, this was a good sign.

That night Reid had the first dream he had since he slipped his mind away.

He was running. Fast. Faster than he could. He could sense that his torso was going faster than his legs and he was falling forwards. He put his hands out to stop him but they had been secured to something and he started falling and falling. He tried to crawl away. Hands pulling at his clothing tearing at his hair as he screamed for help. The same word over and over again. One the staff made note of after the needle had pierced his skin and he was laying still on his bedroom floor, a split lip and bloodied nose from his face first fall from the bed. They wrote the name down and would make a point of contacting his friend tomorrow because this wasn't his friend's name.

They changed his night clothes and lay him back in his bed on his side, and got someone to come in quickly and attach a cot rail to stop him falling again. It looked like a step backwards, but they smiled at the sleeping doctor. He was finally pulling himself back.

………………

_Spence? _

_What happened to you?_

I had a nightmare.

_Babes I am sorry. _

_I wasn't here. They keep drugging me._

I needed you.

I need to let Aaron know I am here.

_Spence I let you down again._

It's not your fault.

You need to get better Floyd. I need you. I need to see you.

_Babes?_

I'm still here. I feel so tired. I need to stay awake for when Aaron gets here.

_Call me when you need me._

_I will be here for you._

_We will do this together._

…………………

Hotch made sure that the hospital Reid was in was within easy driving distance from the offices in Quantico. In the weeks Reid had been there Aaron had been away a few times. The hospital assured him that Spencer didn't notice his absence but he wasn't so sure. He just hoped that Reid understood. Every afternoon straight after work he would make his way to the special hospital Spencer was in. Every day was the same. Each rolling into the next. None discernable from the next. The same people. The same chair and the same empty locked down expression on Reid's face.

"Agent Hotchner." A man walked out of an office on the ground floor. "I am glad I caught you before you went up to see Dr Reid. Can I have a word please?"

Hotch followed the man into the office and took a seat behind a desk. "Is there a problem?" Hotch needed to know.

"Not sure. I am hoping you could help." Leaning on the desk his fingers templed in front of him. "Something happened last night."

A look of alarm shot across Aaron's face.

"He is alright but I needed to warn you. He had a nightmare and fell from the bed. He hit his face. It looks worse than it is, but I thought I should warn you."

Hotch nodded and stood up.

"There is more." Hotch sat again. "This might sound bad Agent Hotchner, but the fact that he reacted to his dream state is a good sign. We have put a rail up on the side of his bed so he won't fall again." Hotch nodded. "He also called out a name. Repeatedly."

"A name?"

"Floyd. He was calling for someone called Floyd. Does this mean anything to you? Because if we could find this Floyd person it would go a long way to helping Dr Reid come back from where he is hiding."

Hotch stood up again. "That's not possible. He can't see Floyd."

"Is there a reason?" The doctor was looking annoyed. This was important to Reid. He wanted to see Floyd.

"Yes – he is at St Martens. And not as a member of staff. It would be impossible to bring him here. It was he who caused this problem in the first place. It won't happen."

"Well I don't need your permission Sir." The doctor was getting cross with this attitude the agent had today. "Dr Reid is under my care, and I don't believe you are even noted down as next of kin."

"Well I should be!" Hotch was shocked by this announcement. Reid and he had talked long and hard about this. He had asked Aaron if he could put his name down as next of kin. Why had he changed his mind? A look of undisguised horror passed over Hotch's face. "Who is next of kin?"

"I don't have to tell you that. I am sorry Agent Hotchner."

Hotch got up and left the room.

……………………

Reid was sitting slumped in his chair like always. Nothing changed. Nothing different until Aaron got up close and saw the bruises under his eyes where he had hit his nose and the swelling around the split lip. He pulled over a chair and picked up Spencer's hand like he always did.

"Show me you are there still Spencer. I know you must be to be calling out for Floyd. Just show me a sign that you know I am here."

And Spencer's fingers curled around Aaron's.

…………………….

_See that was easy._

……………………..

Dr Osaka sat in his office looking at Reid's file. He had been through a lot. He pulled out the sheet with his personal details. 'Next of kin – Floyd Flanders Franks.' But no number to contact. Luck had it that Hotch told him where he was. All he needed to do now was to arrange a visit. Either Reid to this Franks person, or Franks to here.

……………………..

* * *


	14. Chapter 14 Visiting Times

Visiting Times.

_Susanna__:- How am I supposed to recover when I don't even understand my disease?_ _Girl, Interrupted_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

Floyd sat in a corner his back firmly against the wall.

He was sporting a new dressing across his nose and a boot print on his cheek. His legs were pulled up tightly to his chest and bruised fingers were laced in front of his knees.

He had on his pyjama bottoms and a blood stained once white vest. He curled and uncurled his toes to some rhythm in his mind and banged his head on the wall in time to the uncurling.

People had learned to avoid him. They walked around him without looking in his direction. They had stopped shouting at him and spitting at him after he tried to eat Edwins LaCost's face off. He would have done. He could have done. If it wasn't for that bloody Nurse Olivia sticking him with needles again. Now he could hardly keep his eyes open and more importantly he was deprived of his beloved drugs. The only drugs he got here closed his mind. He needed it opened.

Two days ago – was it two days now, time was running away, but for a while now, he hadn't been able to contact Spence. He didn't know if the fault was the poisons he had running through his blood or if it was something happened to Spence and they weren't going to tell him.

The staff had special orders, they were not permitted to have conversations with him. They could give him orders and tell him to take his meds, but they were not allowed to chat and now that the other loons here had learned that talking to him would result in pain he was left alone. Only the tap tap tap tap in his head to keep him company.

"Get up off your ass Sweet one." Nurse sodding Olivia again. The only one who would talk to him. He looked up at her and then down to her white rubber hospital shoes. He spat blood on her feet then went back to what he had been doing.

"I told you to get up. You have a visitor. Though hell knows why someone would want to see you."

"Go suck." He went back to banging his head.

"You only wish darling. Up on your feet. They have come especially to see you and it would be nice to have you at least partly awake for them."

"Fuck off."

A blur of motion followed. He didn't quite know what happened but it had to do with that whore Olivia. He woke up laying on the floor in the big communal shower block. His ribs hurt and his face hurt. Cold wet and shivering someone was shouting at him. "Get up or do you want my boys to dress you as well as shower you?"

"I will kill you Nurse Olivia. I will soak you in teriyaki marinade over night and slow grill your tender lumplings."

She took a step towards him and was slightly surprised that he didn't flinch back from the kick to the jaw. This man was going to be a pleasure to break.

He snatched the towel up off the floor and wrapped it around his hips standing slowly and carefully in the wet shower block "Clothes." And he spat out blood again.

"Will be provided if you behave – until that time you will stay in the hospital pyjamas and vest you were given when you arrived."

"Those things stink." Looking at the soiled stained things she expected him to put on.

She smiled sweetly at him. "They stink of you Floyd. Now get covered up and come meet your guests."

"What was the point in the shower if you want me to put those back on?"

"Purely to rinse the blood out of your hair." She threw the items at him.

"You can't get away with this."

"Stop moaning like a child. Considering how many people you have killed with those hands of yours you are pretty gutless aren't you." Snapping her fingers at an orderly.

Dirty clothes weren't actually the problem Floyd had here. He didn't mind the smell of his own sweat and of other peoples blood and fear. What the problem was that they now wanted his hands behind his back so they could put nylon cuffs on him.

"Always double restrain this one." Nurse Olivia was saying. "Somehow he can get out of cuffs and binders. Always make sure his hands are behind his back. It makes the prisoner feel more exposed and definitely prevents them from putting up a successful fight. He will need leg irons too. This one moves fast, so anything to slow him down is good." He looked down as they smacked the irons around his ankles. "Good, good, now what are you forgetting?" She looked from one orderly to the next, "OK – double binding. That includes the feet."

…………………..

They took Floyd through a security door and down a passage way. A big metal door had a code punched in and it was swung open. Flanders was pushed into the room. The door was locked behind him. About ten feet square, the room was completely empty. He stood around about central to the room looking through the big window which covered half of the wall opposite the door. The lights dimmed as the view the other side of the thick security glass became clear.

…………………

They strapped Reid to a chair and pushed him from the hospital grounds into the back of a specially designed van for wheelchair users. Dr Osaka was there as was the nurse who had been caring for Spencer, and a couple of orderlies for assisting if they needed extra help with anything.

Osaka had explained to Spencer that they were going on a trip, but decided it was probably best for now if the didn't know where they were going and what the plan was. In case he understood and in case it didn't work. He had considered informing his Friend the Agent, but since the clash of personalities he decided against it. After all they were the ones looking after Reid, not that puffed up pushy suit.

They monitored Reid to see if he reacted to being out in the open and if he looked out of the van windows. They wrote a zero down on the chart for everything.

He was wearing dark blue sweat pants and Tshirt and for now he had a blanket draped over his knees. They were aware that he had something wrong with his leg and so trying to get Reid to get up and walk was not top of the agenda. They were more concerned about the way he seemed to be living entirely in a world of his own. A silent world, but his eyes were looking at something, or for something.

When they arrived they were checked out for weapons. Although this was also a hospital this place held some of the countries most dangerous criminals. They were escorted into a room and the door was locked behind them. Osaka wanted to start the reconnection like this and see if it did anything. If needs be he would request physical contact with this Floyd person. This man down on Reid's records as being his next of kin.

As the lighting changed they could see through the window. Osaka took in a sharp involuntary take of breath. He wasn't looking at what he expected. He was expecting an equally effete looking weak person. What he saw was closer to a monster.

Reid was looking down at his hands unaware of what was going on. The nurse stood behind him and gently lifted his head so he could see.

Flanders stared back. Spence. It was Spencer. He shuffled forwards until he could press his forehead against the glass. He wanted to hammer on it, to smash it, to reach out and grab Spencer but the double restraints were holding him. He could feel blood dripping down his fingers as he twisted his hands trying to get them free. He called him. He called him with his mind, and with his voice, but he didn't think they could hear in the next room.

Spencer's eyes lifted and locked at the vision in front of him. His hands under the blanket started to undo the straps holding him in the chair. "Floyd?"

He watched Floyds head bash against the glass over and over. He watched the droplets of blood inching their way down the glass. "Floyd – S s stop it!" He was out of the chair and at the window at a speed which shocked even Reid. He put his pale thin hands against the glass. "N n n no Floyd. S stop!"

Flanders stopped and stared at the sick looking Reid. The darkness around his eyes. The almost transparent look of his skin. The way his hands shook.

"It's OK Babes." He mouthed through the glass wall. "It's going to be OK. Let Aaron help you." And now Reid could hear him with his mind.

_Aaron can help. _

_That's what he is there for._

_Take the help he is offering._

I need you.

_I know. I am stuck here for now._

I will get you out.

_It's not going to happen Babes._

Aaron can work something out.

_Not if you won't talk to him._

_You must open up._

_Trust him Babes. It will be good. You will see._

It hurts.

_What hurts? _

Trusting people. They always let me down.

_Do you trust me?_

Yes.

_Then you can trust me when I say to listen to Aaron. Let him help you._

I need to touch you.

_I need to hold you._

I will talk to Aaron.

_Good._

You won't hurt me if I do?

_Not this time._

Floyd looked as hands took Reid by the arms and he was escorted back to the chair. He rested his head against the glass and watched them strap him back into the chair. Removing the freedom he had. Taking him away.

"Spence!" Head on the glass window again as the lighting changed and he couldn't see through the glass anymore. "Spence." And at first a small tear appeared only to be roughly wiped off on his shoulder as the anger began to build.

…………………….

By the time they considered it safe to go back in the room to get Flanders he had repainted the off white room with his blood. He had thrown himself at the walls and window until his skin split and he was able to smear it. He pulled at the bindings on his wrists ripping open old scars and causing deep slicing damage to him self. He screamed Spencer's name until he finally passed out through lack of blood. Only then did they go in and tranquilise him and see to the open bleeding wounds.

They dragged him back to the ward where Nurse Olivia looked at him thrown back in the corner he liked to live in. She watched Floyd's seizure with a sick kind of pleasure. At least he will be easier to handle now. If he wants to see his little boyfriend again, he will have to behave. Nurse Olivia waited for the fitting to stop then gave him a friendly kick. "Not such a smart ass now are you? - laying in your own piss. Thinking what you want to do to a kid in a wheel chair. You make me want to vomit."

…………………

The anger Floyd felt was fairly matched by the anger Hotch was feeling by the time they arrived back. He had been worried at first when he was told Spencer wasn't there and had been taken for a visit to another hospital. Then it fell into place.

He paced the waiting area for two hours before they arrived back, pushing Reid in a wheel chair and looking very smug.

"Where the hell have you been?" He ran to Spencer and lifted his face so he could see if he was damaged. The only damage he could see was the tear stains running down his cheeks. "Oh Spencer, what happened?"

They tried to just push the chair by Hotch, who took hold of the arm support "I was talking to him. Can you not wait?" He felt someone cover his hand and looked down to see Reid's hand holding his – fingers entwining with his own. "Reid?" He crouched down to be eye level.

"Aaron. It's OK. Everything is going to be right again."

…………………..

* * *


	15. Chapter 15 Olivia

Olivia

_Sweeney Todd__:- These are desperate times. And desperate measures are called for._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

Floyd lay in his corner. His limbs shaking his body still in shock. A doctor was fetched. He stood and looked down at him.

"This is Flanders?"

Olivia nodded.

"He's not what I expected." He bent down and had a quick look at his wrists.

"They all say the same. Bigger than I thought, smaller than I thought. He is a monster Doctor Glover. That is what we mustn't forget. In his case size definitely does not matter."

The doctor turned his attention back to Flanders. "Can you sit up please?"

There was no response.

Olivia tapped him on the leg with her shoe. "Do as you are told."

The doctor nodded. "Get up I need to look at you."

The foot again prodding Floyd in the chest this time. A mistake. A hand wrapped its way around her ankle and a sudden jerk pulled her foot forwards and off balance. One hand whipped its way up the front of her starched white nurses skirt the other dug its nails into the soft flesh of her upper thigh as his teeth embedded themselves into her inner thigh.

Nurse Olivia screamed and tried to jump back, but it was too late now. Floyd had her and was ripping into her white girly flesh. He could feel her blood squirting and pouring over his face as she shook in his hands.

The doctor watched in slow motion as the monster he had completely underestimated tore lumps out of the nurse with his teeth and pushed his fingers into her leg making a strange popping sound as the skin ripped and pinged back into place. He moved away, reaching out for a button on the wall and the thumped it hard three times.

Floyd didn't hear the alarms going off. His mind one hundred percent set on the kill. She had stopped making the strange noises now and was twitching in his arms, her eyes rolled back as something hit Floyd in the back. The tazer charge whipped through his body causing him to bite down harder and for his prey to buck and twitch again in his hands. Hands which felt warm and slimy. He dropped Olivia and turned to look at who had attacked him just as another charge hit, flooring him.

……………………….

Aaron had just arrived in the office when the call came in. Could he come over to St Martens. There has been a serious incident.

"Flanders?"

"Involving him yes." He was told.

He got up and entered the bull pen. Strangely empty and quiet. He sighed and walked over to Derek. "Something has happened to Flanders. They won't tell me over the phone. Care to join me?"

Derek jumped up and followed Aaron.

"JJ!" Hotch called out. "If I am needed." Hand to face doing phone mime. She looked puzzled but nodded.

…………………….

They travelled to St Martens in virtual silence. Neither wanting to break the other mans thoughts.

Hotch still was unsure of what had happened, but suddenly he was very worried that Floyd was dead, and with no Floyd Reid's recovery would be harder. He knew that. However much he hated the man for what he did, Reid could see something there no one else could, and for that reason and for that reason only Aaron was going to do what he could for him.

Morgan knew he was there as a stabiliser for Hotch. To pull him back mentally and emotionally if things went wrong. He still didn't understand what the pull was, but he had now experienced the charisma Floyd had and though he him self was not totally floored by it, he could see how someone maybe could be. How Reid could be. How Reid was. It was some kind of mind trick the man played, and though Reid was undoubtedly the most intelligent man Morgan had ever known, he had failings in other areas and his emotional defence was one of them. He either didn't notice it or it over powered him completely. This Floyd stuff was the latter.

The car pulled up in the big U shaped gravel driveway. They sat for a minute thinking and taking deep breaths. Trying to figure out the different scenarios and how they will react to each. Morgan was the first to move. He opened the door and got out of the car, checking his gun and pockets and then waited for Aaron.

They were met at the main reception and taken up to talk to someone. The place was a stark contrast to the place Hotch had found for Reid. This place was full of the smells of hospitals and of sweat and fear. The staff squeaked by in white rubber shoes and heavily starched uniforms.

The directors office looked much like any college professors office would look like except this one had a high security alarm system and thick bars at the window. Morgan also noted how the door was re-enforced with steel on the inside of the fancy wood, and metal shutters were hidden above the windows. If Something went wrong the director of this facility would be safe. The office had a strong smell of furniture polish, probably to cover up the sick smell the rest of the building had.

The director was a stout man with thinning pale hair and bright blue eyes. He asked them to sit down and pulled out a sheet of paper.

"Agent Hotchner?" Hotch nodded and the director set his startling eyes on Hotch's deep dark eyes. "We had an incident. I would like you to tell me more about Flanders – erm – career."

"Is he alright?" Hotch was frowning.

"It is not Flanders who was particularly injured." He fiddled with the paper in front of him. "He tried to kill a member of staff."

Morgan sighed and leaned back into his chair, Hotch leant forwards slightly. "Tried to? You stopped him? What happened?"

"This is what I need you to talk to me about. He attempted to eat the nurse."

Morgan let out an involuntary snort which got him a look from the other two men in the room.

"Is she going to be alright?" Hotch needed to know.

"No. No agent Hotchner my nurse will not be alright! Your man ate part of her."

Derek was on his feet. "Our man? When did he suddenly become our man?"

"He has some kind of involvement with one of your agents. He came to see him yesterday." The doctor was looking puzzled now

"One of my agents? Hotch glanced over at Morgan who was shaking his head.

"A Dr Reid. He came to see him yesterday."

Now Hotch was standing. "Dr Reid? Are you sure?" Pacing the room. Derek watching closely.

"Very sure. I was there. Young man in a wheel chair. Long hair, skinny. Walked with a limp when he got out of the chair and was talking to Flanders."

"And when did the attack happen? During the visit?"

"No, no, they talked. Opposite sides of security glass. Then your man left and Flanders went crazy. He lost a lot of blood. So the nurse went and got a doctor. It was during the examination by the doctor that he attacked the nurse. Agent Hotchner, he ripped bits out of her thigh and swallowed it. She will be scared for life and had there not been a doctor on the scene she would be dead. I needed to know if this sort of thing had happened with him before."

"Where is he?"

"Solitary confinement. I will take you down there."

…………………………

Reid sat in his room on the bed. They had sat him there that morning, it was six hours later and he was still sitting there looking beyond what they could see at some spot far off in the distance.

They had hoped he would be talking again this morning, but once again he had closed down. He rocked slightly and his hands twitched and sometimes shook uncontrollably and his lips moved in a silent prayer to something only he could hear.

Floyd?

A little _buzz_ then nothing.

Where are you?

Static.

Did I do something wrong?

White noise.

Floyd please talk to me.

_Sigh_

Floyd?

_I told you to talk to Aaron._

It's you I need.

_You can't have me._

Why?

_Don't contact me again._

_You make me sick Spence._

_I don't want you around me._

_I don't want you in my head._

_Leave me alone._

Did I do something wrong?

_Yes – you are a whore._

_I could smell your filth through the security glass._

_Leave me be._

_Go pester someone who can be bothered to hang around with a freak._

Please Floyd!

_Fuck off Spence Babes._

_Just leave me alone._

………………………

Floyd sat on the floor in manacles with a gag stuffed in his mouth, his hands secured behind his back again and wiped the tears roughly from his eyes on his shoulder.

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	16. Chapter 16 Alone

Alone 

_In misery's darkest cavern known, His useful care was ever nigh Where hopeless anguish pour'd his groan,__ And lonely want retir'd to die: - Samuel Johnson_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

The solitary rooms were down a level. They took the stairs and followed the doctor and a couple of security personel.

The corridor had 2 doors on each side. Big solid doors with windows made of hugely thick security glass so they would watch the patients on suicide watch and just generally monitor them properly without needing to go in the room too often.

It made Derek's skin crawl to think of people being kept in places like this. He had the shake the feeling of sorrow from his head and remember why they were there.

Aaron was aware of why they were there, he just wished they weren't and for some twisted reason he was beginning to feel this was partly his doing. The doctor stopped in front of a door and flicked a switch. Morgan and Hotch stood and looked.

Floyd was laying on a stone floor curled up protectively around the manacles keeping him in place. His hands were behind his back, and he had heavy leg irons. There was a contraption around his head covering his mouth. What small parts of his skin they could see was bruised and bloodied, though with his blood or someone else's they didn't know.

Hotch put a hand up and touched the window with his fingers. "Is this totally necessary?"

The doctor snorted. "You should ask Nurse Olivia that."

"I need to go in and talk to him."

"Hotch!" Morgan stepped forwards trying to be the non emotional head for Hotch, but he didn't like to see men treated like animals either.

Hotch didn't move from his position at the window. "He won't hurt me. Let me in please. I need to communicate with him properly."

The door hissed as the seal around it opened. "We will have to lock you in. Remove your jacket, belt and shoes please. We can't afford to let him have a weapon. He handed over the things requested and removed his tie too and then as the door opened he walked into the stinking hole which was Floyd's home for now. Hotch stood still and waited for the door to be closed and locked behind him. He then walked slowly over to where Floyd was laying. Aaron could hear his heart thumping in his chest not knowing how Flanders was going to react to him.

Carefully he reached out and touched Floyd on the shoulder. "I wanted to talk to you."

A deep down moan.

"Floyd I am going to put my trust in you and remove that gag."

Nothing.

"I need your assurance first."

Floyd rolled over slightly so he could look at Hotch. Aaron was looking into deep dark eyes full of despair and pain. He could see the redness of someone who had been crying and he could see either a calm sanity, or someone so far gone they didn't now who they were anymore. He decided to go for his first options and for some unknown reason trust him. He undid the buckles on the back of the gag and pulled it off Floyd's head, throwing it over towards the door.

"What happened?" Hotch pushed hair off Floyd's face.

"I wanted to kill the bitch." A deep bubbling cough.

"I meant with Reid, but yes that too."

Alarm flashed across Floyd's eyes. "Has something happened to him?"

Hotch shook is head. "He came to see you?"

Floyd turned so his back was to Hotch. Still sitting on the floor. "Don't let him see me again."

"I need to know what transpired so I can help him. Talk to me Floyd. What happened? Why did you attack the nurse?"

A muttering followed by a cough deep dark hacking. Aaron could see the tension across the back of Floyd's shoulders. He carefully put a hand there. "I want to understand you Floyd. Help me out here."

"Why am I here? In this place?" A quiet voice followed by more coughing.

"You know the reason." Frown as he listened to the coughing start again.

Floyd rolled over to look at Aaron. "I would die for him. I will die for him. I am dying for him. Whatever you might think."

"If there was something I could do for you, I would, but only because of this connection you have with Reid."

"I broke the connection Agent Aaron Hotchner. I told him to talk to you. I won't be in contact with him again. I don't want him to see me like this. Didn't kill her. I wanted to. I tried to. They tazered me. They take me from my medications and wonder why I act up. They are fucking morons Agent Aaron Hotchner. They are meant to be the professionals. They don't know a bloody thing."

Hotch could see Floyd's hand shaking as he lay back down on his side coughing and spitting out blood. "Floyd you need medical help. You need therapy. You need to be medicated and kept away from people."

"No – I need Spence. I am nothing without him. Now go and leave me alone. He will be wanting you. Talk to him Aaron. Help him."

…………………

The drive back was almost as silent as when they arrived. Morgan finally broke the silence. "Are you going to tell me what he said?"

"He is dying. How do I tell Reid that?"

"You don't have to. Just don't mention it. Reid doesn't even know what day it is, he will be distracted from thinking about the man who raped him and sold his body to the nearest pervert."

"It's not like that Derek."

Morgan looked across at Hotch wondering what exactly Floyd had said to him.

"It looks like it to me Hotch. This is why they have orders not to talk to the 'man'. He manipulates with his words." Morgan scratched his head and frowned at his boss.

……………….

His hair was hanging down over his face as he sat on his bed slowly rocking back and forth. Hotch just stood and looked at him for a while. He could see that his hands were shaking, and he could hear a faint whimpering sound.

Silently he walked over and whispered out his name "Spencer."

He didn't react. He didn't expect him to. Hotch put a hand on Reid's leg. He felt the sudden tension as the muscles went into a near spasm at the touch.

"It's alright. I went to see Floyd. He is fine. Everything is good. He asked me to come and talk to you."

Reid's head turned painfully slowly and the red puffed up eyes look at Hotch. "H h he h h hates m m me."

"No – no he doesn't. He is feeling emotions he is not used to. It's freaked him out. He has done some very stupid things but he does not hate you Spencer."

"He has c c cut off c c comuni – com – com – he w w wont talk t to me."

Aaron wrapped an arm around his young agent's shoulder and pulled him close. "He doesn't want to bombard you with these feelings he has. He is trying to protect you."

A deep sobbing breath. "F f feelings?"

"Spencer I think maybe he is scared. He cares deeply for you. He hasn't got the back up of his self medication, and its confusing him. I doubt fear is a feeling he has come across before – or love." Aaron felt Spencer lean into him and sigh.

They sat for about half an hour, Aaron trying to soak up some of the pain Spencer was in, and Spencer trying to find a way to ask Aaron to do something for him. It was Spencer who broke the silence.

"Aaron – Hotch – I need you to do something for me." His voice was low and slightly rough sounding.

"Anything – what do you need?"

"I n n need to be alone – p please – I don't w w want you to visit me anymore." He felt Hotch's arm tighten.

"Spencer?"

"Please. Just leave me alone." Reid pulled back away from Hotch and lay foetal on his bed with his arms wrapped tightly around his legs.

Hotch got up slowly his face hard and angry. Not at any one person, but at this situation. As he left the room he thought he heard the quiet crying of Reid as he rocked on his bed. His toes curling and uncurling in time to the rocking.

……………………..

Floyd lay where Hotch had left him. The only sign he was alive was the curling and uncurling of his toes and the rhythm of the gentle rocking motion. He heard the door hiss open and he opened his eyes. He had every intention of defending himself against the onslaught he had come to expect but as he turned to bite and rip into the nearest person he started to cough. He felt a terrible ripping pain from deep inside and then felt the shock of an electrical prod of some kind – making him twitch and shake. As he lay incapacitated once again wet and coughing up blood they strapped the contraption back around his head.

Someone kicked him a few times very hard in the groin. "A message from Nurse Olivia. I would beware little man. The messages will get more elaborate when she is able to deliver them herself.

………………….

_Nietzsche wrote: - It is by invisible hands that__ we are bent and tortured worst. (Thus Spake Zarathustra)_

…………………..

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	17. Chapter 17 Feel Me

Feel Me

_You be careful. People in masks cannot be trusted. – The Princess Bride._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

* * *

He walked slowly with the aid of a crutch on one arm. Just to provide his leg with that extra bit of support it would probably always need now. It hurt but he needed to walk.

Nobody paid him too much attention as he wandered over to the nurse's station. He leaned his crutch against the counter so that he had both hands free and leaned forward on his elbows.

"Dr Reid – you are up and about. How are you feeling today?" Sweet young nurse.

He managed to avoid looking into her eyes. He was sure she would see the lies and the deceit bubbling around in view. He chewed on his bottom lip for a second then gave her a tight smile. "I w was w wondering if if – if you have," A sigh "If y y you." A frown. Spencer had noticed how his stutter was getting worse, and the more he thought about it the worse it got. He gave up trying to talk and did a sign for 'writing'. The nurse smiled at him trying to ignore the obvious distress not being able to get his words out was causing him. As she turned to see if there was a pencil and paper she could let him have his hand swooped, so fast and with such accuracy even if you had been looking it might have been missed. When she turned back again you wouldn't have known he had moved.

"You will have to stay here and write though Dr, I am afraid I can't let you walk off with a pencil." It was amazing what some people would do with a simple HB.

He smiled a tight smile again. "D, dont – don't – It's." He just stood looking at her then picked up his crutch again and walked back the way he came.

"Poor guy." She said to the nurse she was working with. "Isn't he the one who cries himself to sleep every night?" The other nurse nodded and the sighed together. "Such a shame." And they got back to work.

………………….

Hotch spoke to Strauss. They were yet another man down. They could still work like this but it was be advantageous if she could get her butt into gear and find someone else to join the team. In the meantime he was taking some time off to repair his own mind and recover from the recent events. The rest of the team apart from JJ and Garcia were therefore given time off. Something rare and something they intended taking full advantage of.

Morgan was going to visit family and Emily was just going to let her hair down for a while and relax. She hadn't been back to Babylon since the Reid incident. Maybe it was time to have a little bit of fun again.

Aaron got the car and drove out to St Martens.

They took him down the stairs to the corridor with the doors on either side again and unlocked the cage they kept their monster in.

Aaron stood and looked.

"You going in, cos we have to keep this locked." Aaron turned and looked at the man with the key code.

"What the hell happened to him?"

"What do you mean?" The guard looked past Aaron at the form huddled on the floor.

"This is abuse. You can't treat a person like this." Indicating the room.

"In or out, you decide please. I don't like having this door unlocked."

Aaron stepped into the room and waited until the door was locked before he approached Floyd. He could see he was alive only by the slow movement of his shoulders as he breathed and his toes curled and uncurled. He had seen Spencer doing the same thing with his toes and it just confirmed to Hotch that what he was going to ask Floyd was not complete madness.

Again he crouched down and un-strapped the contraption from around his head and threw it to one side. Floyd's hands were attached to a ring on the floor. His feet shackled. He turned and looked at Hotchner.

"I don't want to talk to you."

He reached out a hand and tucked Floyd's hair behind his ear so he could see the face clearer. "What on earth happened?" He could see burn marks on his face and neck and across his bare back. They had removed his top, but he still had on his hospital pyjamas. Filthy and bloodied. You need to co-operate with them. Stop winding them up."

"What are you doing here Agent Aaron Hotchner? Do I fascinate you? Or confuse you?"

"I need your help." He could smell the stench coming from Flanders, who though was never clean, didn't usually stink.

He moved and tried to get up. Hotch could see the swollen bruised fingers and the way the finger nails were torn back and bloodied. "My help? How the hell can I help you?"

"He won't talk to me. I need you to open communications with him again. However it is you do it. I need you to talk to him."

"What's in it for me?"

"We can talk about getting you a good lawyer. We can get the DA involved. I can get this recent incident sorted for you. I know you put your life at risk to help Reid. This is in your favour Flanders, but you must help now. You must go into therapy and you must stop attacking people."

"You can get me moved?"

Aaron stood and started to pace. "I don't know. I will see what I can do."

"Aaron, get me moved – tell me you will get me moved. I will talk to Spence."

Hotch nodded. "I will get you moved if I can. I promise I will do my best."

"Good. Now before you go, put that thing back on me."

Hotch looked up at the guards looking through the window at them. "What have they been doing?"

"Nothing worse than I will do to them."

Hotch picked up the muzzle and looked at Floyd who was laying with his eyes shut frowning.

A sharp intake of breath "NO!" And Floyd was pulling at the ring holding him to the floor. "Stop him – Hotchner stop him!"

……………………….

He sat in his room with the door almost shut. If he closed it right up they would come in and see if he was alright. He needed time now. Needed to be left alone.

This was his time.

Spencer pulled the covers back on his bed and climbed in pulling them back up around his shoulders. He curled up on his side facing the wall and pulled his legs in tightly to him. In his right hand he held the tiny pair of scissors he had taken from the nurse's station. He could feel the cold sharp edge against his skin. He needed this to look good. He wanted them to know he meant this. He didn't want hesitation marks. Just good clean cuts.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to no one as the small blade slid through his skin on his inner elbow. "I'm sorry Aaron." And he pulled the blade down to his wrist.

He had to do this quickly or he would just pass out and it wouldn't work. He had to do this properly. His hands shaking with the shock and pain and the little stars dancing in his vision the blade now embedded its self into his upper thigh.

Spencer closed his eyes happy now. They wouldn't find him until it was too late. Oh and minimal mess.

His breathing slowed and the greyness came and took the light as he lay in his bed bleeding out. The gentle 'splat splat splat' as his life dripped onto the floor.

_Spence?_

_What the hell have you done?_

…………….

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	18. Chapter 18 The Exsanguinater

The Exsanguinater

_Mrs. Lovett__:- Ugh! All that blood. Poor bugger. Oh well!_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

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Hotch ran back to the door hammering on it with his fist. When the door opened he called for a phone.

"Quickly, it's an emergency."

He took the phone from the doctor who had been standing watching but stood firmly in the door way watching Floyd as he made the call to the hospital Spencer was living in.

"This is Agent Hotchner. Check on Dr Reid now please. Something has happened. Please hurry." His hands were shaking as he watched Floyd screaming and pulling at the ring on the floor. Hotch was sure he heard bones snapping. He walked slowly back into the room. "They are going to check on him – calm down."

Floyd turned his face to look at Hotch as his eyes rolled back and he started fitting. Hotch turned back to the doctor watching still from the door way. "Get this man out of here now. Get him proper treatment." He put the phone back to his ear and his face blanched. Talking back into the phone he said, "I am on my way now." Then back at the doctors. "I am telling you to take the restraints off that man now. I need to take him with me. Hurry!" He handed the phone back to the doctor.

"I'm sorry Agent Hotchner, but I'm not going in that room." The doctor was backing away.

Hotch looked again at Floyd then at the doctor. "You are his doctor, how are you treating him if you won't go in the same room he is in?"

The doctor shrugged and backed off further. "I advise. Did you see what he did to my nurse? I'm not putting myself at that amount of risk."

"Then give me the keys and I will do it. Now! I need to leave and I need to take this man with me." The guard looked at the doctor who gave a quick nod.

Hotch went back in the room and crouched down next to a now shaking drooling Floyd. "I am taking the restraints off. You are coming with me. Spencer needs you."

…………………………..

As the alarms went off and someone called for the crash trolley in one hospital, someone was half dragging Floyd down a corridor towards the exit in another.

They rolled the pale body onto his back and applied pressure to the slice down his arm and leg. They carefully removed the small deadly pair of scissors from his hand and slipped them into an evidence bag, just in case there was doubt as to what happened and it looked like the young genius here wouldn't be telling them anything. Not in words anyway. They stuck needles and drips in his good arm and an intubating tube down his throat.

Heads would roll for this and they knew. Whoever let someone on this floor get hold of a pair of scissors was in trouble. People shouted, inmates screamed and cried, and someone called 'clear' just before Reid's back arched and left the bed.

………………………….

"It's too late." Floyd stood next to Aaron's car still only wearing the same dark blue pyjama bottoms he was given on arrival. He wiped flecks of blood from around his mouth and spat red onto the car park gravel.

"Get in." Aaron wouldn't accept what Floyd was saying, even though if he agreed with himself about this odd connection the two of them had, agreed with himself and let that be real, then he should be agreeing with this also. "It's never too late Flanders. You should know that."

As they pulled out of the car park Hotch threw his phone onto Floyd's grime encrusted lap. "What would you be wanting me to do with this Agent Aaron Hotchner?"

"Just phone the hospital will you. Tell me what's going on over there."

Floyd screwed his nose up at the phone and looked over at Hotch. "I don't need this to tell you he is dead. We are too late. They will put him on life support but that won't save him now."

"Shut up with your fancy predictions Flanders and make the call."

"I don't need to. I know what's going on. They are trying to get his heart going again. It will work. Maybe. For a short while."

"Just make the damned call Flanders before I turn around and take you back from that pit I just dragged you from."

"So the great man can show emotion. I am glad to see it. It makes my day feel complete." He looked through the saved numbers until he came to the one for the hospital Reid was staying in. He punched in the speed dial and put the phone to his ear. "Good afternoon. I wonder if you could help me. This is SSA Flanders, I am calling about Dr Reid. Could you please up date me as to his condition." A pause and a smirk "Yes I can hold." A look over to Aaron. "Was that polite enough for you?" Frowning now down the phone. "Well sweetheart I know you are not telling me the truth now. Can you please go and do your job and tell me what the fuck is going on over there?" His voice getting louder and harsher. "I don't give a toss missy – go and do your job before I have you arrested for malpractice – I don't give a damn. Get me the latest info on Dr Reid now and 'he is fine' is not an acceptable answer – yes I will hold."

He looked over at Hotch again "Well sometimes you have to put the bitches in their place. You know that as well as I do – you are driving too fast." And a slap on Aaron's arm. "Slow down – you will get us both killed – five minutes will make small difference now."

"Yes! Yes I am still here- thank you." Floyd listened to the voice on the other end of the phone rubbing at his eyes and then spitting out more blood. "Thank you – one more question, may I have your name please?" A smirk and a nod "Thank you nurse Sandy, now tell me why you had scissors on the ward and why you permitted my agent to get hold of them knowing his metal state." Another pause. "You can deny it my sweet, but evidence will show your fingerprints over the weapon and I can assure you that if my agent dies because of this I will be arresting you for homicide. Thank you." He flipped the phone shut. "Don't look at me – look at the road."

"You can't say that to her. You don't know what happened and you cannot impersonate a Federal Agent."

"Oh screw you Aaron. Do you think I really care right now? Are we nearly there yet?" And what came close to a smile spread across Flanders face.

"What the hell are you grinning at?" Hotch was pulling over into a parking lot.

"His heart is beating."

Flanders jumped out of the car not noticing again the gravel under his bare feet. Hotch was walking behind him towards the main doors. "Flanders. I have some spare clothes in the trunk of the car."

"I'm fine."

"No – you're not." Aaron was getting vile wafts of Flanders as he followed.

"Aaron." Floyd stopped and turned around. "Spence is dying. I don't care if I don't look groomed. It's a mental hospital. I will blend. Hurry up."

They burst through the doors looking like two mad men on a mission. They were shown the way they needed to go and took the elevator to the surgical floor of the establishment.

People stared at the man in his suit and this strange battered smelly dirty creature he was with. Floyd was beginning to feel the pain in his hands from whatever damage he did to them trying to get out of the cuffs. Then the pain in his chest from not being able to breath properly.

"Hotchner." He put a hand out to grab his arm, but Aaron was racing off down the corridor again. "Hotchner!" coughing blood and falling to his knees. People standing back looking at him – a nurse tentatively stepped forwards.

"Sir are you alright?"

He ignored her. "Aaron!" and he put hands with broken wrists down on the floor to support him self. They made a snapping popping sound.

Aaron could hear nothing but the thumping of blood in his ears and the shouts for the crash trolley to be brought into the room he had been sent to. He stood and looked through the glass wall at the huddle of doctors and nurses around the bed. "Come on Spence. We are here. Floyd is here. He looked back at Flanders who was now pulling himself up again and shouting at people to get out of his 'sodding' way.

_Spence._

_Wake up babes._

_I am here._

_Fight this. _

_I won't leave you again._

_Can you hear me?_

_Talk to me babes._

_Spence?_

Floyd?

…………………………..

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